residential design guidelines

Transcription

RESIDENTIAL DESIGN GUIDELINES
CITY OF PALESTINE, TEXAS
A Resource for Owners, Residents and City Officials
Prepared by
Diane E. Williams & Associates
Austin, Texas
for the City of Palestine Historic Landmarks Commission
and the City of Palestine, Texas
Funding was provided by the Texas Historical CommissionA16 Certified Local Government Program and
the City of Palestine, Texas
Revised 2005
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................ 1
I.
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................2
II.
Applicability ..............................................................................................................................4
III.
How to Use These Guidelines ..................................................................................................5
IV.
History and Development .........................................................................................................6
History of Palestine, Texas 1846-1945 ........................................................................... 6
Property Types in Palestine .......................................................................................... 14
Definitions ..................................................................................................................... 16
V.
Character of Palestine Historic Resources and Neighborhoods ...................................... 29
Introduction ...................................................................................................................29
Historical and Existing Development Patterns .............................................................. 33
Observations on Architectural Form .............................................................................. 35
VI.
Threats to the Survival of Palestine Historic Resources and Neighborhoods ................ 37
VII.
Guidelines for Repair and Maintenance of Individually Listed Properties and Resources
within Residential Historic Districts ..........................................................................40
Introduction ...................................................................................................................40
Suggested Approaches to Maintenance and Repair .................................................... .41
Basic Development Standards .......................................................................... 42
Siting and Setbacks ............................................................................... 42
Orientation ............................................................................................. 42
Form/Massing ........................................................................................ 43
Height ....................................................................................................43
Bay Divisions .........................................................................................44
Details .................................................................................................... 44
Materials ................................................................................................ 45
Windows and Doors .............................................................................. 45
Style .......................................................................................................45
Building Site ......................................................................................................46
Fencing and Walls ................................................................................. 46
Walkways and Driveways ..................................................................... .4 7
Outbuildings ........................................................................................... 48
Signs ......................................................................................................49
Mailboxes .............................................................................................. 50
Garbage Containers .............................................................................. 50
Lighting .................................................................................................. 50
Landscaping .......................................................................................... 51
Parking Lots ........................................................................................... 52
Satellite Dishes ...................................................................................... 53
Building Exterior ................................................................................................ 53
Walls ...................................................................................................... 53
Gutters and Downspouts ....................................................................... 55
Drains .................................................................................................... 55
Ventilation .............................................................................................. 55
Masonry Walls ....................................................................................... 56
Wood Walls ........................................................................................... 57
Roofs .....................................................................................................57
Windows ............................................................................................... 60
Entrances and Porches ......................................................................... 63
Paint Color ............................................................................................. 66
Building Interior .................................................................................................66
Interior Spaces ...................................................................................... 66
Interior Features and Finishes ............................................................... 67
Structural Systems ............................................................................................ 67
Loadbearing brick or stone walls .......................................................... 67
Cast iron columns .................................................................................. 68
Roof trusses .......................................................................................... 68
Posts, beams and vigas ........................................................................ 68
Foundation wails .................................................................................... 69
Mechanical Systems ......................................................................................... 70
Heating .................................................................................................. 70
Air Conditioning ..................................................................................... 70
Electrical ................................................................................................ 70
Plumbing ................................................................................................ 70
Health and Safety Requirements ...................................................................... 71
Energy Retrofitting .............................................................................................71
Design for Missing Historic Features ................................................................. 72
Repair and Maintenance of Moved Buildings .................................................... 72
Repair of Non-historic and Noncontributing Properties ..................................... 72
VIII.
Guidelines for Alterations to Historic Properties ................................................................ 73
Introduction ...................................................................................................................73
Alterations and Additions to Contributing Properties ..................................................... 73
Setbacks ................................................................................................ 73
Orientation ............................................................................................. 73
Scale ...................................................................................................... 73
Height and Massing ............................................................................... 73
Roof Shape ............................................................................................ 73
Location ................................................................................................. 73
Details .................................................................................................... 73
Materials ................................................................................................ 73
Style ....................................................................................................... 74
Site Features ......................................................................................... 74
Reversibility ........................................................................................... 74
Building Site .. ,................................................................................................... 74
Walkways and Driveways ...................................................................... 78
Outbuildings ........................................................................................... 79
Signs ...................................................................................................... 83
Lighting .................................................................................................. 84
Landscaping .......................................................................................... 85
Parking Lots ...........................................................................................85
Building Exterior ................................................................................................ 86
Wings, Rooms and Extensions .............................................................. 86
Foundations ........................................................................................... 86
Roofs .....................................................................................................87
Entrances and Porches ......................................................................... 89
Paint Color ............................................................................................. 90
Building Interior ................................................................................................. 91
Structural and Mechanical Systems ...................................................... 91
Health and Safety Requirements ...................................................................... 91
Energy Retrofitting ............................................................................................. 92
Design for Moved Buildings ............................................................................... 92
Alterations to Non-historic and Noncontributing Properties ............................... 92
IX.
X.
Guidelines for New Construction in Designated Historic Districts and at Individually...... Designat
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 93
Setbacks ................................................................................................ 93
Orientation ............................................................................................. 93
Scale ...................................................................................................... 93
Height .................................................................................................... 94
Massing ................................................................................................. 94
Details .................................................................................................... 94
Materials ................................................................................................ 94
Style ....................................................................................................... 95
Building Site ......................................................................................................95
Walkways and Driveways ...................................................................... 96
Outbuildings ........................................................................................... 96
Signs ......................................................................................................97
Lighting .................................................................................................. 97
Landscaping .......................................................................................... 98
Parking Lots ........................................................................................... 98
Buildings ............................................................................................................98
New Primary Buildings .......................................................................... 98
Modular and Manufactured Housing ..................................................... 99
Paint Color ............................................................................................. 99
Building Interior .................................................................................................99
Structural and Mechanical Systems .................................................................. 99
Health and Safety Requirements .................................................................... 100
Energy Conservation ....................................................................................... 100
Improvements Moved into a Historic District or onto a Property ..................... 100
List of Designated Historic Properties in Palestine ........................................................... 101
XI.
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................... 104
Appendices
A.
B.
C.
D.
Secretary of the Interior"S Standards .......................................................................... 113
Glossary of Terms ....................................................................................................... 114
National Register of Historic Places ............................................................................ 118
Palestine Preservation Ordinance ............................................................................... 120
Acknowledgments
Diane E. Williams & Associates would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their
contributions to this project. These guidelines are Phase III of a multi-year project to prepare a historic
preservation plan and design guidelines in Palestine. The project was funded by the City of Palestine, a Certified
Local Government, and the Texas Historical Commission.-s Certified Local Government grant program. Many
individuals contributed to this multi-year project. Thanks go to Carolyn Salter, M.D., Chair of the Palestine
Landmarks Commission and members of the Commission, who initiated the project and provided continuing
support and input. Tom Thorsen, Director of Development Services for the City of Palestine, also supplied ongoing support for the project as well as copies of existing preservation ordinances and manuals as well as
historical maps and other research materials. Former Mayor Jackson Hanks and members of the City Council
who adopted the first preservation ordinance in 1990 provided early support in the effort to preserve Palestine.-s
architectural resources and neighborhoods. They are joined by later Mayors and Council members who have
continued to encourage preservation through their adoption of preservation ordinance revisions and allocation of
funding for preservation projects as a Certified Local Government. Most recently, Mayor R. E. McKelvey, Mayor
George Foss and City Council members, City Manager Curtis Snow, Financial Officer Robert Sherrill, worked
with the Palestine Planning and Zoning Commission, the Palestine Landmarks Commission, neighborhood
representatives, citizens and the consultant to make the preservation plan and design guidelines a reality. This
community effort has made these preservation guidelines possible.
Residential Design Guidelines
City of Palestine, Texas
1
I. Introduction
All historic events occurred in a building or at a site and as a result locations take on significance
because of their associations with historic events and trends. Such locations are the historic resources of every
community and the foundation of historic and cultural preservation. Buildings, structures, sites and objects are
artifacts of history that reflect the life and times of the people who built and occupied them. Historic and cultural
resources create a sense of time and place within a community. They provide continuity between past and
present, illustrating for future generations the varied values, economic and social organization, lifestyles and
priorities of American life. Historic and cultural resources provide opportunities for community revitalization,
economic development and the development of community pride and neighborhood identity. Historic resources
also are financial assets that through preservation, protection and use can be the bedrock of a community.os life
and commerce. Recognition, conservation through appropriate maintenance and repair assisted by design
guidelines, and the use of historic resources are the basic goals of preservation. Organizations and
communities across the country, including Palestine and many others in Texas, participate in varied preservation
activities utilizing programs established by federal, state and local governments to further preservation goals.
These programs are preservation tools.
Preservation of Palestine.os historic and architectural heritage began in the 1960s and 1970s when a
number of local buildings and sites were designated Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHLs) or as Subject
Markers. The Anderson County Historical Commission, the Museum for East Texas Culture and the Texas State
Railroad have contributed to the success of those and other preservation activities. Palestine has at least 35
properties designated as Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks or with Texas Subject Markers. In 1980 the East
Texas Council of Government sponsored the first systematic study of Palestine.os historic resources as part of a
multi-county effort funded in part by a matching grant-in-aid from the Texas Historical Commission. As was
typical of preservation philosophy at that time, the Council authorized Billy Bean, a preservation consultant, to
catalog the oldest and most significant, large or high-style architectural examples in Anderson and surrounding
counties, including Palestine. The first National Register designation in the city was received in 1980, with five
more properties listed between 1986 and 1993.
In 1989 the City adopted its historic preservation ordinance. In 1992 the Commission prepared a
handbook explaining the Commission.os purpose and containing the preservation ordinance, examples of
different architectural styles, the Secretary of the InteriorJ6 Standards and applications for local landmark
designation. Between 1992 and 1997 the City adopted a local tax abatement program for certain qualifying
historic properties. In 1997 the preservation ordinance sections pertaining to the local tax incentive were
modified for clarity. Since that time the ordinance has been amended to increase serving Commissioners from
seven to nine individuals. Currently the development services director is the City.os preservation official. In 1990,
the City contracted with the Austin firm of Hardy Heck Moore & Associates, Inc. to conduct the first
comprehensive reconnaissance level survey of historic properties, and to prepare a Multiple Property National
Register Submission with a historic context, property types, and National Register nominations. The results of
that project were a 1993 report with an inventory of 1,823 properties in the city built prior to 1945,
recommendations for nominating six National Register historic districts, recommendations for listing properties
eligible for individual National Register listing, as well as a historic context (Community Development in
Palestine: 1846-1945). Between 1994 and 1998 a historic context, property types analysis and successful
nominations for two historic districts and 10 individual resources were completed. In 1997 the Palestine
Historical Preservation Commission under the leadership of chairman Carolyn Salter, M.D. prepared an
educational brochure spotlighting local African American history. This brochure joins others created in the 1980s
and 1990s by the late local historian James Neyland.
In 1992 the City designated the New Town (downtown) commercial area a Palestine Historic District.
While the area is highly significant to Palestine.os history, incompatible alterations, demolition and incompatible
infill have eroded downtown Palestine.os integrity, and it does not currently qualify for National Register listing.
However, a number of individual buildings are listed in the National Register and with appropriate rehabilitation
and restoration, which is beginning, downtown Palestine could qualify for National Register designation. Other
local preservation activities include Palestine.os past participation in the Texas Main Street program. Ultimately
the Main Street venture was unsuccessful in creating economic revitalization, and the city dropped out of the
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program. With sufficient appropriate rehab of historic buildings in the downtown historic district, the area could
qualify for the National Register, and with increased historic integrity could again become a Texas Main Street
city.
In 1996 the City contracted with Diane E. Williams of Diane E. Williams & Associates, of Austin, Texas,
to prepare an educational curriculum based on Palestine.as history and historic resources. Ms. Williams, who
served as architectural historian on the two historic district National Register nominations (listed 1998), prepared
a detailed seventh grade curriculum featuring five diverse Palestine properties, all of which are National Register
listed. The curriculum utilizes local buildings to teach the relationship between local events and those at the
state and national levels, thus increasing the visibility of local historic resources and broadening understanding of
their significance.
In 1999-2000 Ms. Williams undertook a review of the 1990-1993 survey effort to assess neighborhood
integrity and make recommendations for listing properties at the national, state, and local levels and to identify
additional contextual themes for nominating properties. Because the built environment changes with time, a
survey update is typically conducted every 10 years. This project was the first of three phases in the preparation
and implementation of a historic preservation plan; Phase II focused on preparing this plan, and Phase III on
developing implementation products, including ordinance revisions and these design guidelines.
The survey review conducted by Ms. Williams revealed that the four currently unlisted but potentially
National Register eligible historic residential neighborhoods recommended for National Register listing in 1993
retained sufficient integrity for listing and boundaries suggested in 1993 remained viable; boundaries for one
potential district were expanded. The survey review also identified 10 contextual themes under which
Palestine.as historic resources could be listed in addition to the community development theme used for the
1994/1998 nominations. An additional five neighborhoods were identified for local district listing. Both districts
listed in the National Register as well as the remaining four National Register eligible districts also were
recommended for local historic district listing. In addition, Ms. Williams identified three areas that would benefit
from special city zoning overlays--as buffer zones and enterprise zones--to encourage retention and reuse of
historic properties and to promote economic development sensitive to the surviving historic properties as well as
to the surrounding historic neighborhoods. Three neighborhoods not included in the 1990-1993 survey were
recommended for future reconnaissance level inventory. In all, the survey review identified 18 neighborhoods
with concentrations of historic resources warranting National Register historic district, local historic district or
special zoning designations. In 2002 Ms. Williams undertook preparation of a National Register nomination for
the Michaux Park Historic District, which was one of the four potentially eligible neighborhoods identified in the
1990-1993 survey and again in the 1999-2000 survey update. The district was listed in the National Register in
2003.
The 1990-1993 survey, the 1994/1998 nominations, the heritage education curriculum, the African
American history brochure, and the 2000-2003 three-phase survey review, preservation plan and implementation
products (including design guidelines and ordinance revisions), and Michaux Park Historic District National
Register nomination were all funded by matching grants from the Texas Certified Local Government Program
and the City of Palestine. These projects along with efforts of the Anderson County Historical Commission, the
Museum for East Texas Culture and the Texas State Railroad continue to identify, document, preserve, protect
and promote Palestine.as irreplaceable historic resources.
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II. Applicability
These guidelines are authorized by the 1990 adoption of ordinance 0-9-90 of the Palestine Zoning Code,
the Palestine Historic Preservation Plan, approved January 14,2002 by the Palestine City Council, by revisions
to ordinance 0-9-90 of the Palestine Zoning Code, and by revisions to • 3408.8 of the 2000 International Building
Code, both approved by the Palestine City Council on _ _ __
The guidelines apply to:
1) Locally designated individual properties and properties within locally designated
historic districts in the City of Palestine, including local districts that overlay and
expand listed National Register district boundaries (including Noncontributing
and non-historic buildings within such districts), and local designation overlays
of individually listed National Register and state landmark properties.
2) These design guidelines apply to the above defined properties only when owners of
designated historic properties and properties within designated historic districts initiate
exterior repairs, maintenance or new construction. The guidelines do not affect
properties whose owners do not conduct exterior work on their properties.
3) These design guidelines are to be used in conjunction with City of Palestine building codes
and development standards. Where the guidelines conflict with codes and standards
set forth in other regulations, the requirements of the guidelines shall prevail.
4) Where zoning regulations conflict with the standards of these guidelines, the guidelines shall
prevail.
City of Palestine , Texas
4
III. How to Use These Guidelines
These design guidelines are intended for use by city officials, and owners and residents of individually
designated historic residential landmarks and residential historic districts in Palestine as defined in Chapter II.
Applicability, above. However, the guidelines contain helpful information for all property owners, residents and
city officials and should be considered a community resource. The guidelines offer methods and materials
appropriate for the repair and maintenance of designated historic residential properties and designated historic
districts and guidance for additions to those properties as well as for construction in designated historic districts.
A variety of preservation materials developed between 1989 and 2002 also are available to assist owners,
residents, and City officials in understanding Palestine~ history and the value of its historic neighborhoods and
individual properties.
These design guidelines should be used in conjunction with previously prepared materials, which include
a historic resources survey, historic context and property types analysis, National Register nominations for the
North Side Historic District, the South Side Historic District and the Michaux Park Historic District, National
Register nominations and Texas landmark applications for a number of individual properties in Palestine,
educational curriculum for middle school students that teaches about Palestine History through five National
Register listed properties, 2000 survey review and update, and historic preservation plan. The guidelines also
should be used in conjunction with future residential district nominations and research materials. All of these
materials provide information on Palestine~ history and its historic buildings and the importance of these
buildings to community life and prosperity. These materials are available for public use at the City of Palestine
Development Services Department, 504 Queen Street, Palestine. They cannot be checked out, but may be
reviewed or copied (subject to photocopying costs) at the Development Services office.
A summary of Palestine history and a brief discussion of property types are contained in these guidelines
in Chapters IV and V below. For full information, interested persons should refer to the Palestine Preservation
Plan, which contains the complete version of these materials under Architectural Overview. In addition, the
1997-1998 educational curriculum contains data on building construction and community history. The 1994 and
2000 survey materials and 1994-1998 individual National Register nominations for 10 properties and the two
National Register district nominations provide additional information on specific buildings and neighborhoods in
Palestine.
A number of technical publications are included in the Bibliography. These provide information on
architectural styles, building types and how-to processes. The City of Palestine should consider purchase of
these publication for public, staff and Commission use as non-circulating materials. A second set is
recommended for placement in the Reference Room at the Palestine Public Library.
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IV. Palestine History and Development
HISTORY OF PALESTINE, TEXAS
1846.1945
PALESTINE 1846-1872
Palestine was founded in 1846 as the county seat of Anderson County, newly created at that time from
Houston County. Located near the geographic center of the new county, Palestine was, at least in theory,
equally accessible to all county residents, and therefore met state requirements for the selection of county seats.
The original town was laid out, or platted, around a central courthouse square on a 100 acre parcel of land
formerly owned by two early settlers James R. Fulton and Johnston Shelton. Now known as old town, this area
contained just 24 blocks; the lots facing the courthouse were developed with businesses, those on streets farther
from the courthouse contained residences. Residences and businesses also were built outside the city limits
(the 24 block area). The grid pattern of streets around a central courthouse was a plan used in many
communities in east and central Texas in the 1840s and 1850s brought to the area by early settlers familiar with
it from their former homes in Tennessee, Kentucky and other southern states. The earliest buildings in Palestine
were modest and small, built from logs harvested in the surrounding forest.
For the next 25 years, Palestine grew slowly serving as the governmental center of the county and as a
trade center for the large, surrounding cotton-growing region. As the crop grown most widely in the county,
cotton served as a cash crop, a product sold for cash. Cotton planters were dependent on the labor of African
American slaves to tend the crop and as the number of acres of cotton planted grew so did the number of slaves
in the county. Other crops were grown, too, such as corn and wheat. These served primarily as a food supply
for the landowners, their slaves and other residents of the county.
Prior to 1872, and the arrival of two railroads in Palestine, residents of Anderson County and Palestine
traveled by stage, wagon, horseback and on foot. Their agricultural products, supplies and other goods often
traveled overland too, but because roads and trails were sometimes little more than dirt paths through the trees,
rivers and streams provided faster and more direct access to downstream markets in Houston and Galveston.
Cotton was often shipped downstream on the Trinity River on river boats from Magnolia, 11 miles southwest of
Palestine. In the 1850s, Palestine was a lively small town. As the county seat, and a shipping point for cotton
and other crops, the community attracted businessmen, lawyers and judges, merchants, those skilled in building
construction, as well as visitors and new residents. During the 1850s Palestine~ prosperity can be measured
by the construction of several new buildings around the courthouse square, several residences such as the 1851
Greek Revival style Howard House and the 1855 courthouse (no longer standing). In the early 1860s Palestine
had a two-story hotel, six to eight stores and a blacksmith shop. Palestine~ first newspaper, the Trinity
Advocate had its offices neat the square and there were businesses selling dry goods and groceries, as well as
saloons and professional offices. By 1863 there were 33 blocks developed with businesses and residences
along streets 60 feet wide. All the commercial buildings around the courthouse square built before the 1880s
have been torn down, while some of the homes and businesses built outside the original 24 block area survive.
In February 1861 Texas joined the Confederate States of America, but the four years of the Civil War did
not seriously affect the economy of Palestine. Although many families lost husbands, fathers and sons to the
conflict, slaves remained on the cotton producing plantations that were the economic base of the county. The
production and manufacture of cotton products went on throughout the war with continued shipment down the
Trinity River to Galveston, or overland to the Rio Grande Valley, and then to ports in Mexico. From Galveston
and Mexican ports, the cotton was shipped to Europe providing the people of Palestine and Anderson County
with needed income. A local cotton mill, in nearby Mound Prairie, manufactured cloth from locally grown cotton
and this income also helped Anderson County residents.
6
2
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,....,..,.,.,
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;It'll
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Source: Texas Almanac 1998-1999
Map of Anderson County. Texas
At the close of the Civil War, Federal troops were stationed in every county seat in Texas. The troops
removed from office locally elected officials and replaced them with men called lIICarpetbaggers. and IIIScalawags .•
Generally considered dishonest, these men often took over private homes and occupied public buildings to the
disapproval of longtime residents. During this period, called Reconstruction, life was often difficult and
unpleasant for people in Anderson County, but by 1870 this period was coming to a close and new opportunities
for Palestine and the county were just around the corner.
Shortly after the end of the Civil War in April 1866, and despite the effects of Reconstruction, prominent
local resident John H. Reagan (a former member of Confederate President Jefferson Davis-o- cabinet, and future
Texas Railroad Commissioner), lead a public meeting in Palestine to consider the idea of attracting a railroad to
the community. Thereafter, community representatives began to lobby the Intemational Railroad to extend its
line through Palestine. After successfully gaining an agreement from that line, they lobbied the Houston and
Great Northern Railroad. Palestine offered the railroads land for a depot and rail repair shops as well as
adjacent land in the amount of about 80 acres southwest of the courthouse. The railroads accepted and in July
1872 the International Railroad, on track built from Austin, reached Palestine. A second railroad, the Houston
and Great Northern Railroad. arrived in Palestine from Houston in December of that same year. In 1873 these
two railroads merged, forming the International and Great Northern Railroad Company. The headquarters for
this new railroad was located in Palestine in 1875, and this decision created great excitement about the
economic opportunities the railroad would bring to the community.
RAILROADS BRING GROWTH
No longer a somewhat isolated town 11 miles from a river shipping point, Palestine was transformed into
a commercial center with ready access to Houston and Austin. A building boom began changed forever the
small town character of Palestine. Among the first buildings constructed after the arrival of the railroads was a
depot. Through this building went the agricultural products and other goods of the county, as well as
merchandise ordered by merchants enjoying Palestine.os growing prosperity. Railroad workers, new residents
and businessmen also passed through the depot enlarging Palestine.os population and economy and fueling the
need for new buildings. Local architects and carpenters built new homes, churches and offices, often using
designs they read about in magazines and newspapers, and massed produced materials such as milled lumber.
These published designs were available to people all over the country. wherever railroads quickly took new
ideas and ready made materials. People in Palestine, and everywhere railroads went, could build bigger and
fancier buildings since they had more to choose from in the way of materials than just locally harvested logs,
stone or locally made brick.
In Palestine, a whole new commercial district was built. Called New Town, it was located just north of
Ihe railroad tracks, southwest of the old courthouse square on land given to the railroad by Palestine and
7
Anderson County. The railroad made money by selling lots in New Town where merchants and businessmen
built stores and offices. Most new construction was related to the presence of the railroad and most people who
settled in Palestine between 1875 and 1900 either worked for the railroad or ran a business that served people
who worked for the railroad. New Town was close to the depot and the railroad, making access easy. The
railroad carved their 80 acres into small narrow lots that encouraged the construction of commercial buildings.
By the late 19th century, New Town became the primary business district of Palestine, but the district declined in
the 1940s as automobiles provided people access to new shopping districts away from downtown.
I
Source: City of Palestine
New Town, Palestine, 1875
So many new residents and railroad workers came to Palestine after 1875 that the City started the
Anderson County Immigration Society. This group of local residents provided a welcome for new people and
encouraged them to settle in Palestine. The City along with the railroad built an immigrants" home to house the
thousands of people coming to Palestine. Between October 1876 and March 1877 the home provided a place to
stay for about 7,390 people. Although not all of these newcomers made Palestine their permanent home, many
stayed in Anderson County. The population of the city increased from about 300 in 1870 to 2,997 in 1880, and
the population of the county changed from 9,229 residents in 1870 to 16.694 people in 1880.
Although the arrival of the railroad was good for the overall business and development life of Palestine,
many of the long time residents and merchants were unhappy about the effects of the railroad on their lives and
businesses. Many long time residents disliked the noise, and the dirt and soot and danger of fire from the
cinders produced by the trains" steam engines. They also were unhappy about disagreements that developed in
the 1870s between Anderson County and the railroad that caused the filing of a lawsuit. But most of all, the
development in New Town created two competing commercial districts. Established merchants and town
leaders saw, and resented, the profits the railroad was making at their expense by selling lots in New Town to
merchants and developers who built competing offices and stores there. Businessmen in Old Town saw their
hope for greatly increasing profits shrink because stores and offices around the courthouse square were too far
away from the railroad to get much of the business it brought to town. Instead they tried to keep as much control
over local politics and business as much as possible by focusing on serving long time residents who lived north
~md northwest of the courthouse in neighborhoods that include the North Side Historic District.
The businesses and services offered in New Town, by contrast, largely served people who came to
Palestine as railroad managers or employees. These people settled in a new neighborhood located south of,
. md isolated by, the railroad tracks, in what is now the Southside Historic District. Among the many buildings
(:onstructed in New Town was the 1882 G. E. Dilley Building, a two story commercial building (also called a 2
PClrt commercial block) with shops on the first floor and offices on the second. George M. Dilley operated an
f~esidential
Design Guidelines
8
foundry south of the railroad tracks at 601 S. May that made iron and brass castings for Texas railroads.
Source: Diane E. Williams
Dilley Foundry Office
The Dilleys, like so many other families associated with the railroad, lived in the Southside Historic
District, which includes their circa 1895 house at 805 S. Sycamore. Other residences in the Southside district
associated with people who worked for the railroad include the 1878 Ash-Bowers House at 301 S. Magnolia, and
the circa 1890 house at 406 S. Queen. Additional buildings in the Southside district associated with railroad
activities are the International & Great Northern Railroad Hospital and nurses quarters at 919 S. Magnolia. built
in 1921.
Once the rail lines were built through Palestine, the railroad continued to help the economy of the city
grow. The Palestine Salt & Coal Company, the Dilley foundry, several agriculture-related businesses such as
cotton gins and grain storage companies, as well as new hotels, stores, and banks all depended on business
brought by the railroad. While New Town continued to replace the old business district around the courthouse
square as the commercial center of Palestine, the courthouse square remained the seat of county government.
In 1914 a new courthouse, which is still in use, was built to replace the 1885 courthouse destroyed in 1913 in a
fire. The Classical Revival style building was designed by the architects C. H. Page and Son. Exploration for
oil in Anderson County took place in the 1920s and brought new jobs and businesses to Palestine in the 1920s
3nd 1930s. After 1945 the oil industry in Anderson County grew even more.
I~(~sidential
Design Guidelines
9
Oil and Gas Fields in Texas. 1988
Source: Historical Atlas of Texas
The I&GN Railroad continued to play an important economic and transportation role well into the 20th
century. In 1924, the I&GN became part of the larger Missouri-Pacific Railroad (Mo-Pac) and in 1996. the rail
lines through Palestine were purchased by Union Pacific Railroad.
NEW NEIGHBORHOODS IN PALESTINE
After the arrival of tlie railroad. new neighborhoods developed north, northwest, south and southwest Of
the business districts in Old Town and New Town as more people made Palestine their home. Today. Palestine
is made up of several neighborhoods. When studied. these areas can reveal how Palestine developed between
1846 and 1945, where residents lived and what kind of homes they had. The original settlers of Palestine. the
long time residents, or .DId Guard,. lived mostly north and northwest of the courthouse in areas called Old Town,
and north central Palestine. Most of these people arrived between 1846 and 1861 from other southern states
and most were Protestants being members of the Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian faiths. Homes in Old Town
and north central Palestine include small. simple one and two story houses as well as large. two and three story
residences. Built of wood or brick and lived in by early residents. some are examples of vernacular architecture
made from locally available materials with L-plan designs, or center passage plans. some with Greek Revival
decoration, such as the Howard House at 1011 N. Perry Avenue. Others were deSigned by architects with
Greek Revival style decoration or Tudor Revival or Classical Revival style design and used massed produced
materials. These neighborhoods are now included in the North Side Historic District.
African Americans. newly freed from slavery in 1865, settled in the area northeast of the courthouse.
Most of the houses in this area date from the early 20th century and are small. one story wood dwellings without
architectural decoration. Although houses in this part of town are typically vernacular designs. the railroad
provided builders access to massed produced lumber and other building materials. The earliest homes in this
area are no longer standing. The members of the Mt. Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church owned land in
this part of town as early as 1873. The current red brick, Gothic Revival style Mt. Vemon church at 901 E.
Calhoun Street was built in 1921.
Newcomers to Palestine in the 1870s and 1880 included immigrants from Ireland and from northern
states who worked on the railroad. Most of the Irish were Roman Catholic; other railroad workers included
Protestants and Catholics. The Irish Catholics lived in west Palestine, beyond the commercial district of New
Town, but close to the railroad. Protestant railroad workers also probably lived in this area as well. as did a
number of African Americans, including Freedmen (former slaves) and their descendants. Houses in this part of
lown are mostly small. one story wood or brick buildings with simple L-plan. center passage plan. or rectangular
plan desiqns and little architectural decoration using mass produced lumber or brick. The northwest portion of
P;1lestine developed slowly after 1875 and probably included the homes of railroad workers. and those who
worked in stores. shops. restaurants. hotels and manufacturing businesses. Houses in this part of Palestine are
very Similar to the vernacular homes in west Palestine.
l~esldenti(]1
Design Guidelines
10
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, built 1873
11
,
"
~
Neighborhoods in Palestine
Source: Hardy Heck Moore
Other people associated with the railroad were executives and managers who came from other
southern and northern states. While most of these individuals were Protestant, some were Roman Catholic.
Bankers, lawyers, doctors, architects, carpenters and masons, and merchants also settled in Palestine because
of the growth caused by the railroad. In this group were people from all over the country and from Europe.
Among them were Protestants, Catholics and Jews. These people lived south of the railroad tracks in the area
that is now the South Side Historic District. Homes built by these residents are large or medium sized and are
made of wood, stone or brick. Many are two stories tall and some are three stories. Many homes in this area
were designed by architects in a number of architectural styles including Classical Revival. These buildings were
influenced by published designed and constructed with mass produced lumber and hardware. Also settling
south of the railroad were rank and file workers who lived along the east and north edges of the South Side
Historic District, near the railroad tracks. The homes of these people are small, one story wood cottages with
little architectural decoration built from massed produced materials.
The southeast part of Palestine probably had few residents until about 1915 when new economic growth
in Palestine created the need and the money to pay for new housing. Housing here is mostly small and medium
size one and two story wood or brick dwellings. Most are vernacular buildings. The Tudor Revival style John H.
Reagan School, built in 1917 at 400 S. Michaux Avenue is one of the most visually imposing buildings in the
southeast part of Palestine. This building is the result of high-style architectural ideas and was designed by an
architect using massed produced materials. The southwest portion of the city began to be developed about 1880
as residential neighborhoods for railroad workers. The area south of West Reagan Street contains small and
medium size one story wood homes occupied as early as the 1870s by working class African Americans.
Homes in this area also were built with massproduced materials. Industrial buildings are found along the
railroad tracks that curve south off the main east west tracks in the downtown area. Southeast Palestine
continued to develop into the 1970s and the area contains neighborhoods built in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
HISTORY AND BUILDINGS
Palestineos growth and development since 1846 reflects the development of many communities in east
fl"xas. Before the Civil War most cities and towns in east Texas were settled by people from other parts of the
·~outh. Most communities produced cotton and relied on African American slaves for labor. Because there were
110 railroads in east Texas at that time, and overland roads were few, some farmers and planters shipped their
r~esidential
Design Guidelines
12
products on river boats on the areas many rivers. After the Civil War, commerce in east Texas expanded as
railroads were built throughout the state, linking rural areas and towns with the bigger cities of Houston,
Galveston and Austin. Shipping agricultural products and other goods was easier and more reliable than before
the railroads. The railroads brought new people, new business opportunities, new materials and new ideas. After
the railroad arrived more money was available to people in Palestine and other parts of the state because of
increased business activity. Towns grew and changed and the newcomers built businesses and homes. With
the availability of more money and mass produced materials, Texans, including Palestine residents, constructed
buildings in the latest architectural fashion using readily available materials. Those with less money using massproduced materials and often added a few architectural features based on fashionable designs. As economic
opportunities changed, communities throughout Texas, including Palestine, were able to change with the times
adding new businesses such as oil production and limiting enterprises no longer profitable.
The buildings constructed in anyone period reflect way people lived, the ideas and materials they had
available to them and the business opportunities present. For these reasons historic buildings have much to tell
us about the development of our communities and our state and the lives of those who built them. The history of
Palestine.os buildings, while never completely forgotten, was long overlooked as new growth took place in the
1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In the 1990s research of Palestine.os built environment, its buildings, began. This
research brought to light the rich and interesting development of the city and how that history reflects important
events in the history of Texas. Through the identification of two historic districts, Palestine has recognized the
value of its buildings and the ways in which they can provide a link between the present and the past.
SUMMARY
Palestine, founded in 1846 as the county seat of Anderson County, remained until 1872, a small,
somewhat isolated, business and trade center for cotton growing, the county.os major industry. Cotton planters
relied on river boats on the nearby Trinity River to ship their cotton to markets in Galveston. Until the end of the
Civil War in 1865, Palestine was populated by white settlers mostly from other southern states and mostly
Protestant, and by African American slaves. Commercial, social and civic activities took place in the business
district around the courthouse square and most people lived north or northwest of the courthouse.
In 1872 two railroads were built through Palestine linking the city to Austin and Houston by means of
fast. all weather trains. Palestine became an important commercial center in east Texas and it became home to
many people from many places. New businesses associated with the railroad, or dependent on rail
transportation supported a thriving economy. A new business district, New Town, just north of the railroad
tracks and depot also developed. This new commercial center took business away from the original business
district, Old Town, around the courthouse square. But Old Town remained the center of government for the
county. Palestine grew as railroad workers and others associated with the trains came from all over the country
and sorne European countries. These newcomers were of many religions including Roman Catholic and Jewish.
These new residents, along with African American freedmen, spurred the development of new residential
neighborhoods west, northeast, south and southwest of the courthouse. Discovery of oil in 1925 brought
additional prosperity to Palestine that continued through the 1930s and into the 1950s and the related
development of neighborhoods southeast of the courthouse.
In the past 10 years, Palestine has developed programs to identify and document the history of the
community. A survey of historic buildings and neighborhoods has led to research that has identified two large
historic neighborhoods containing about 500 buildings. These buildings tell the story of Palestine.os development
and explain the relationship of events in the city with events in Texas and the United States in the 19th and 20th
centuries. A series of student activities was developed from the history of Palestine discovered during the survey
and research work. These activities bring the city.os past into the present.
PROPERTY TYPES IN PALESTINE
Palestine has many property types--residential, commercial, institutional, infrastructural, landscape and
funerary--all of which contribute to understanding the history and development of the city. A property type is a
,]roup of individual properties grouped together because of shared phYSical or associative characteristics.
Physical characteristics that will cause properties to be grouped include plan types, architectural styles, building
materials, or most often, historic function. Examples of property types organized by function are domestic
13
resources (houses, apartments, motels, hotels and associated outbuildings such as garages, sheds, wells,
guesthouses, servants quarters) and commercial resources (office buildings, restaurants, grocery stores, gas
stations, department stores, music and video stores, etc.). In the commercial category, office buildings can be
grouped by exterior features into the 1-part commercial block (a one story building with a single use like a
grocery store) and the 2-part commercial block (a two or more story building with one use on the first floor (a
clothing store) and an unrelated use on the second floor (an attorney's office). The property type institutional
resources includes three basic categories of buildings, each with their own set of associative features.
Governmental resources include courthouses, city halls, and police stations. Educational resources include
all types of schools. Religious resources include churches, temples, and synagogues. Hospitals and other
health care buildings where people receive medical treatment also are considered institutional buildings.
Industrial resources are those built for the manufacture, processing and refinement of raw goods such as
cotton gins, grain elevators, foundries and factories. Another property type called infrastructure resources
includes buildings, structures, and objects related to providing transportation, sanitation and utility services.
Examples of Infrastructure properties are pumphouses, electric substations, sewer lines and treatment plants,
and streets, roads, sidewalks, and trails. Park land (public space) and landscaping features on private property
(private space) are grouped in the property type recreation and landscaping resources. Monuments and
public art resources is another type of property that includes, commemorative statuary, fountains and outdoor
sculpture. Funerary resources are cemeteries, mausoleums, and other similar properties.
Historic properties also are identifiable because of architectural style or decorative detailing associated
with a particular architectural style that is applied to a plan type. Buildings also are classified as high-style,
popular, vernacular or modern depending on the origin of the plans used to build them. High-style architecture
uses construction based on the formal art and science of designing buildings as taught in universities, colleges
and architectural schools. High-style architecture is designed and built by trained architects according to
established rules and designs. Popular architecture uses plans promoted in the popular reading material of
middle-class Americans such as books and magazines. Mail order firms and retail companies like Sears,
Roebuck and many local lumberyards provided house plans and often the pre-cut lumber needed for
construction. Houses in the popular architecture category were built nationwide from such plans and as a result,
local building traditions were displaced by the nationally available popular designs. Vernacular architecture
uses construction based on local or regionally available materials and local building styles, and built by
carpenters, masons or the building.os owners. Trained architects are not involved. Modern architecture
developed after World War II when American house forms began to change in response to a growing demand for
affordable single family housing and modernity. Mass-produced domestic architecture made possible the rapid
suburbanization of cities and towns and created a vehicle for providing small scale, affordable infill housing in
established neighborhoods such as the South Side Historic District and the Michaux neighborhood. Houses with
mixed styles occurred as early as the late 19th and early 20th centuries when American buildings often
combined elements from several architectural styles. These buildings were complex compositions harmonious in
form and visually rich. The blending of styles in a single dwelling reflects an awareness of changing cultural
trends. Combinations common in small and medium sized towns are the pairing of Queen Anne and Classical
Revival, Queen Anne and Craftsman and Classical Revival and Craftsman. Occasionally a traditional style will
be paired with a modernistic style, such as Craftsman and Ranch. Many Palestine dwellings display a
combination of detailing derived from two or more architectural styles. Among the most commonly seen pairings
are Queen Anne/Craftsman, Queen Anne/Classical Revival, Classical Revival/Craftsman, Craftsman/Colonial
Revival, Tudor Revival/Colonial Revival, and Minimal Traditional/Ranch. These present a cohesive aesthetic
statement where the elements of each style complement and enhance the overall design. The Minimal
Traditional/Ranch combination is a transitional design reflecting the evolution of modern houses away from
historicism. Other combination dwellings are the result of updating an older dwelling with newly popular and
highly stylish elements, which was a less expensive way to remain in the aesthetic loop than to build a new
house, or create a cohesive new exterior. In addition, single family and multiple family dwellings sometimes do
not display sufficient stylistic elements to be identified with any particular design aesthetic, either because of
original modest design or as the result of remodeling that has removed or obscured defining architectural
characteristics. While Palestine.os residential neighborhoods contain mostly dwellings, other property types
including churches, schools, cemeteries, parks and hospitals also are present. These types range from one-to-
14
three-stories in height and use wood, brick and stone as exterior materials. Historic-era churches, schools and
hospitals in Palestine neighborhoods are detailed with Art Deco, Gothic Revival, Classical Revival, and Tudor
Revival stylistic features.
Thousands of historic resources in the United States are listed on the National Register and as state and
local landmarks. The most frequently listed types of properties are residential (also called domestic). Houses,
apartment buildings, duplexes (a house with two separate units in one building), and triplexes (a house with three
separate units in one building) are all residential property types. To better understand the differences among
them, historians look at the footprints (shape of the house as it appears on the ground), or plan types, as well as
the architectural styles of domestic buildings. Different plan types and architectural styles were built at different
periods in American history and by studying the plan types and architectural styles historians can usually tell
when historic properties were built.
Some of the residential plan types most often built in Texas are the center passage (also called hall and
parlor), L-plan house (also called gable front and wing), and the rectangular plan house. All of these plan types
are named for their footprint. For example, an L-plan house has a footprint that looks like an ...., this plan type
was popular in Texas from the 1880s until about 1910. A center passage house has a center passage, or
doorway in the center; it was widely built in Texas between 1840 and 1920, A rectangular-plan house is
rectangular. This plan was popular in Texas between about 1880 and 1950. Other more rare plan types used in
Texas include the T-plan, the U-plan and the H-plan, which are variations on the L-plan type. A rectangular or
square plan house with a pyramidal roof is another popular residential type widely built in Texas between 1880
and 1915. Bungalow plaAs were popular between about 1905 and 1950.
Architectural styles historically popular in Texas include the Italianate, Queen Anne, Classical Revival
(also called Neo-Classical), Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival styles. Other
styles were built, although they were not as popular as the ones just mentioned. The Queen Anne style was
widely built in Texas between 1880 and 1900. As the word .evival. suggests, revival styles are based on historic
architectural designs. Starting about 1825, the Greek Revival style became popular in America. In Texas the
Greek Revival style was built until about 1860. The Gothic Revival style was popular in the United States
beginning about 1840. It continued to be popular until about 1880. It was popular again between 1915 and
1940. It has been widely used for churches. The Classical Revival style came into wide usage about 1895 and
continued to be widely built all over the United States, including Texas until about 1950. The Tudor Revival style
became popular in the United States about 1915 and was widely built in Texas until about 1940. The Colonial
Revival style became a major architectural design form in the late 1870s and continues to be widely built
throughout Texas. For illustrations of these plan types and architectural styles and others discussed below see
the book A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia and Lee McAlester. A complete discussion of property
types, architectural styles and plan forms appears in the Palestine Preservation Plan, available from the City of
Palestine Development Services Department.
By studying the differences in historic buildings, the features that make them unique are more easily
identified and their age and significance more easily understood. Knowing that architectural style and plan type
provide clues to the age of a building can assist the community and the property owner in understanding how a
neighborhood developed and how to best repair and maintain a house or other residential property.
DEFINITIONS
Art Deco: Considered a modernist (but not truly
modern) style, Art Deco design features smooth wall
ourfaces that are usually covered in stucco, a flat roof
With a raised parapet defined by a straight or zigzag
,;dqe, and zigzags, chevrons, and other stylized
,)eometric and plant forms as decorative elements on
the facade.
Towers and vertical projections
;ometlmes are present on commercial buildings using
Itll~ style. Built between 1920 and 1940, the Art Deco
,lyle IS a blending of older architectural forms with
modernistic decorative
Source: Field Guide to American Houses
I «~sidential Design Guidelines
15
elements. Art Oeco design was most often applied to commercial and government buildings and gas stations but
was sometimes used for dwellings. It was widely used for commercial buildings, government buildings and schools
;Jnd occurs in modest forms in small and medium sized towns such as Palestine.
Bungalow: A popular house plan consisting of two
rows of side-by-side rooms, staggered front to back.
Exterior features may differ greatly; however, a
bungalow is not a style, but a building type. These
tJconomical dwellings were built with Craftsman,
Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial
F~evival, Mission Revival and Shingle style decorative
.~Iements.
The most common type of bungalow
i lisplays elements from the Craftsman Style (Arts and
Crafts Movement). Distinctive features include a low',lung profile of one or one-and-a-half stories and a
broad roofline that incorporates the porch in an
lttempt to minimize the contrast between exterior and
Interior space. The most common roof form is the
front-facing gable, although bungalows with cross)abled, side-gabled and hipped roofs also exist. These houses often have triangular braced supports under widely
.;preading eaves. Exposed rafter ends are another common feature. Although they can display an infinite diversity of
porch treatments, a bungalow often has tapered box columns that either rest on brick or wood pedestals or reach the
lull height of the porch. Another locally common bungalow form has steeply pitched, multi-gabled roofs, round.Ifched front entrances, and brick exterior finishes that are suggestive of the Tudor Revival style. This subtype
. Ittamed popularity during the late 1920s and 1930s.
I
Conter Passage: The center passage house is a
'lna-story vernacular dwelling built all over Texas
Ilntween the 1840s and about 1920. The center
p.Insage house is usually rectangular in plan and is
limost always one room deep and two rooms wide
'11th;) centrally placed doorway or passage between
!/1fl rooms. Larger versions of the house are two
f f )(lms wide and two rooms deep with a central
, II JOrw3Y and hall separating each side of the house;
,IHln the house has four rooms arranged this way, it
,; cliled a central hall plan. The center passage
i II )U~;o type has a gable (pitched), roof with two short
I It! 'Nalls and two long side walls forming the
f' ·ctanl1ular plan.
The front of the house is placed in
Ill' innC) wall of the house, which has the effect of
'i 1I111f1C) the gable, or peaked roof to the side. This
If r, mf}ement is called a side gabled roof. In a center
I j',';dqe house, the side gabled roof covers the entire
i ,I II 17 ••1,
Most center passage houses have a front
wlllch either stretches the full length of the front of the house or is a small area at the entrance covered by a
roof (the peak facing front). Because center passage houses were small, most people who lived in them
I i,·,,{hJ(j more space as their families grew. Extra living area was often created at the back of the house by adding
1l1.lIlton;!1 rooms that have a shed roof. Most center passage houses in Texas are of wood frame construction with
• II ht, 11.11 boards used as siding. Because they were built during the 19th and early 20th centuries, center passage
I ,'V,'lltnqs occasionally display detailing and ornamentation reminiscent of architect-designed houses of the period,
! (Hltl.
11,111 (,.lllle
1':1 \'lIdontlal
Design Guidelines
16
particularly on the porch, above windows, around doors, and in gable ends. In such cases these houses are
described as having influences from a chosen style. They often have Greek Revival or Queen Anne style details.
Classical Revival (Neo-Classical): An architectural
style popular between about 1895 and 1950 that like
the Greek Revival style uses a gabled or hipped (like
a pyramid with the top cut off) roof and classical
columns with decorative capitals. Classical Revival
buildings look similar to Greek Revival buildings, but
Classical Revival buildings are usually larger and a bit
fancier and have a two-story porch. Classical Revival
style buildings are constructed of wood, stone, or brick
with wood trim around windows and doors and on
porches.
Classical Revival architecture was
extremely popular in the early 20th century and was
used to construct most building types, including
domestic buildings, schools, churches, govemment
buildings, and hospitals.
It was also used for
commercial buildings, hospitals and schools.
Colonial Revival: The Colonial Revival style was
popular in Palestine during the early 20th century.
Impetus for this movement is traced to the 1876
Philadelphia Centennial, which spurred interest in the
country's pre-Revolutionary past and its architectural
history. The balanced facades of Colonial-style
dwellings are relatively undecorated except for the
entry bay, where single-story porticoes or molded
door surrounds embellish the opening. Dormers
enhance the hipped roof, as do exaggerated chimney
stacks. Especially ambitious examples of the style
employ Palladian windows to mark stair placement.
Craftsman: Craftsman architecture flourished in the
United States between about 1905 and 1920. This
hlfJh-style architectural movement developed from the
r~esidential
English Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th
century and embodied the precepts of simplicity,
craftsmanship, beauty and function applied to
Design Guidelines
17
architectural construction. As a reaction to the massproduced, highly decorative and often overwrought
architecture of the late Victorian era, the Craftsman
aesthetic featured naturalness in layout and materials
and an emphasis on the hand-crafted aesthetic and
wood construction tradition of the pre-industrial age.
The Craftsman style developed in conjunction with the
bungalow plan house, which in high-style versions
could be 1. or two stories in height and embellished
with skillfully carved wood beams,
rafter ends, fascia boards, decorative rock and brick work, and stained and leaded glass. Expansive porches and
terraces that opened from French doors or were viewed from horizontal banks of windows provided out-door living
space and a transitional area between indoors and outdoors. High-style Craftsman bungalows were sited to
maximize views and wind currents and designed to appear to have grown naturally from the landscape, which was
lushly planted. Craftsman design was highly popular in neighborhoods developed during the first 20 years of the 20th
century with large concentrations appearing in New England, Mid West cities, Seattle, Los Angeles and the San
Francisco Bay area. While Craftsman influenced bungalows are widespread in Texas, large concentrations of highstyle examples are less common.
Eastlake: The Eastlake style is named for Charles
Locke Eastlake, a English interior designer and critic
of the Gothic Revival (Blumenson:59). Built between
about 1870 and 1890, the style uses large curved
brackets, scrolls and other stylized elements. Porch
posts, railings and balusters were turned on a lathe to
create the look of heavy carved furniture. Perforations
in the gables and pediments, carved panels, spindles
and latticework are found on porch eaves, adding to
the complexity of the massing and cross gabled roof.
The use of the heavy turned elements with the lighter,
perforated ornament enhanced a feeling of threedimenSIonality. Most dwellings use only a portion of
this vocabulary and many combine elements from
other related styles such as Queen Anne.
the period's other new house type, the bungalow. The
Four-Square house type takes its name from its
interior configuration that is divided into four rooms of
Four-Square House: The Four-Square house, a
Widespread dwellinq type of the early 20th century,
'Nas developed 3S a reaction to the picturesque,
,lsymmetrical dwellings that dominated domestic
,Jeslqns of prevIous decades. Supplied in countless
,lyles by mall-order concerns and lumberyards, Four'3quilre houses are popular house types built through
111(3 nation dunnq the 1910s and 1920s. Their cubelike forms conferred a fresh, modern appearance, and
ttlflY were ollen built in the same neighborhoods as
I ~osidential Design Guidelines
18
equal size. A Four-Square house is two stories in height and is capped by a hipped roof, whose profile typically is
broken by a dormer at the facade elevation. Fenestration patterns are balanced but asymmetrical, usually with the
entry slightly off-center. A single-story porch that stretches across the entire facade superimposes horizontality on
the otherwise boxy form. Local examples display architectural features that are characteristic of the Prairie School,
Classical Revival or Craftsman movements.
Gothic Revival:
An architectural style popular
between about 1840 and 1880 and again between
1915 and 1940 that features buildi ngs with steeply
pitched gabled roofs; a one-story porch with pointed
3rch openings; doors set in pointed arched openings,
clnd single windows or windows in groups of three with
pOinted tops. Above the windows in many Gothic
Revival style buildings are decorative bands that
outline the shape of the windows. These bands are
called hood molds, or sometimes drip molds, and
were originally intended to channel rainwater away
from the windows. Gothic Revival buildings can be
made of brick, stone. or wood. Gothic Revival style
buildings are based on the forms of medieval
European churches and castles. The style is most
often used for churches, schools, and dwellings. In
Texas it is occasionally it is used for commercial
buildings and residences.
Greek Revival:
An architectural style popular
between about 1825 and 1860 that uses a gabled, flat
or hipped roof; a wide band of decorative trim where
the walls and the roof meet; a small, one-story porch
at the front entry that has a gabled or flat roof and
supporting columns; and a tall narrow front door with a
window above the door and tall narrow windows on
each side of the door. Greek Revival style buildings
are wood frame with flat, wide wood siding or are
constructed of brick or stone with wood trim on the
porch and around windows and doors. Greek Revival
style architecture is based on forms popular in ancient
Greece, and uses columns (also known as classical
columns) and porches similar to those seen on
:lnClent Greek temples. Greek Revival architecture
'Nas extremely popular in the 19th century and was
used to construct most building types including
domestic buildings, schools, churches, government
buildings and commercial buildings.
It was
occasionally used for hospitals.
19
International Style: The International Style
developed from German Bauhaus philosophy of the
early 20th century that stressed form and function and
rejected all ornamentation in response to the
decorative excesses of 19th and early century
historical styles. International style design has been
applied to every type of construction including
dwellings, but is most often used for commercial,
institutional and industrial resources. Flat roofs, plain,
smooth wall surfaces typically of concrete, metal or
stucco, large metal frame windows and doors and
volumetric massing and exterior spaces define the
style. Early examples used stark white stucco, later
constructions make use of metal, concrete and prefabricated materials.
Italianate: When railroad service first began in
Palestine, the Italianate style was a widespread
architectural style used in the residential construction
throughout Texas, and many of the houses built in
Palestine's
more
prestigious
neighborhoods
incorporated embellishment characteristic of this style.
Distinctive features include the use of bay windows,
round-arched windows grouped in two's or three's,
and low-pitched roofs with wide eaves. The style
gained favor nation-wide following the publication of
Andrew Jackson Downing's Cottage Residences and
The Architecture of Country Houses.
The pyram ,al roof and porch treatment are the most
distinctive elements of this house type.
Massed Plan Pyramidal Roof Type:
This
vernacular house form features a cube-shaped or
rectangular central mass with a steeply pitched
pyramidal roof covering the entire dwelling. The front
porch usually has a pent roof supported by square
posts or carved columns, or is incorporated into a
portion of the house. Access is either through a
centrally placed door, double doors into each of the
rooms adjacent to the porch, or an off-center doorway.
20
Mediterranean Revival:
Closely related to the
Spanish Colonial Revival is the Mediterranean Revival
style. The Mediterranean Revival style typically
utilizes a two-story mass with a hipped red tile or slate
roof, formal, symmetrical fenestration and a centrally
placed entrance framed by round arched detailing,
engaged columns or pilasters, and molded plaster or
carved stone ornamentation. Balconets or loggias
sometimes grace the second floor windows, which
often are articulated by round arched surrounds.
Massing and ornamentation in the Mediterranean
Revival are a mixture of Italian and Spanish forms.
Despite Texas-Spanish and Mexican colonial history,
Spanish and Mediterranean forms are uncommon in
the state outside of the EI Paso, Houston and San
Antonio areas.
Minimal Traditional: The trend toward modem,
mass-produced housing began in the 1930s and
continued into the 1980s in five basic subtypes,
defined by Virginia and Lee McAlester in their book
Field Guide to American Houses, as Minimal
Traditional, Ranch, Split Level, Contemporary and
Shed families. All eschew historicism as a decorative
reference and most emphasize a reorganization and
expression of interior living space. Houses built
between 1935 and about 1950 often show elements
that reflect traditional styles as well as elements that
reflect Modernism. Such dwellings began with the
simplification of
the Tudor Revival style into a relatively small one-story house that featured a dominant front gable, large chimneys, a
medium or low pitched roof and little, if any, decorative detailing. Eaves and fascia boards are cropped close to the
wall surface. Defined by McAlester as Minimal Traditional, this style was widely used in pre-and post-war tract
development across the country. It was popular until the early 1950s and is seen in Palestine in areas developed
between 1935 and the early 1950s and in older neighborhoods where new construction occurred on remaining
vacant lots during these same years.
style spread throughout the country and continued to
be built in Texas as late as the end of the 1930s.
Distinctive features include rectangular or squarish
massing of one or two stories, fiat, hipped or gabled
red tile roofs, curving parapets, smooth stucco walls
and wide arcaded porches, all based on the Baroque
and Renaissance forms of the California missions .
The form was popular for residential construction but
Mission Revival: The Mission Revival style first
•lppeared in the 1880s in California in response to
resurqent interest in the heritage of the area. The
nesidential DeSign Guidelines
21
also was applied freely to schools. churches, and
commercial buildings. In Palestine and East Texas,
this
style
is
relatively
rare.
Source: Field Guide to American Houses
Modified L-Plan: Another locally common vernacular
domestic building of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries is the Modified L-plan house. Following the
nomenclature system established by McAlester and
McAlester, these kinds houses might be grouped
within a category dubbed Hipped with Gabled Wings;
however, no such designation exists. This house form
features a cube-shaped central mass with projecting
front and side wings. A hipped roof that accentuates
the primary central mass and visually heightens the low 1-story protile is the most distinguishing feature of this
building type. Small, secondary gables extend from the hipped roof and often display noteworthy architectural
detailing. Late 19th-century versions typically have Queen Anne-styled ornamentation, such as elaborately cut wood
trim in gable ends and porches. Houses erected in the early 20th century often have Doric or Tuscan columns
supporting a wrap-around porch. Sidelights and hopper windows are common features that frame the front door.
Monterey Revival: One of the last revival styles to
develop IS the Monterey style, which was popular
between about 1925 and 1955. Part of the regional
movement In American architecture, Monterey style
forms are based on the mix of Mexican era one and
two :;tory ;ldobes and American Colonial features
[)rouqht to northern Califomia (specifically Monterey)
tlY whalers and other sea-going Americans in the
1:nos and 1840s. The resulting style was a blend of
I'NO diverse cultures and was revived in the 1920s as
!"lIt 01 lIle craze for Spanish derived architectural
II nrns. Monterey Revival houses are two-stories high
,vlth .lsymrnetncal massing composed of a long
I' :ctanqul<lr wing intersected by a short, front facing
'JIfHl ttl;lt creates ..... plan. A wood,
h. Jlustered, Integral, cantilevered balcony spans the length of the second floor and is an important distinguishing
I, ',llure. hmestration is asymmetrical with window and door surrounds often displaying decorative wood elements
"'n1lf1l~~cflnt of detailing found on Colonial New England houses. The roof is hipped, typically covered with wood
j \: lktlS ,md the side facing end wall often contains an end chimney. Brick or wood construction is typical outside
I ~I!sldential
Design Guidelines
22
Califomia, where most Monterey Colonials use stucco siding. This style is uncommon in the South.
L- P{l'ltl
Plan Types: Anyone of several vemacular building
forms that create a distinct outline, or footprint. Most
commonly used to describe domestic buildings, the
concept of plan type allows understanding of the
overall building form and the arrangement of intemal
space (living area). Examples of plan types include
the center passage house, the T-plan house, the Hplan house, the rectangular plan house, the I-House,
and the L-plan house. These plan types take their
names from the shape of the footprint of the building.
T-p/QJl
u-pla."
Prairie Style:
In contrast to the reactionary
architectural styles of the early 20th century (the
revival styles), at least one innovative and progressive
movement, the Prairie style, attained a degree of
popularity in Palestine, although no houses in the city
and indeed few in the state exhibit the complex
horizontality and interpenetration of interior and
exterior spaces that were based on the tum-of-thecentury domestic designs of Frank Lloyd Wright and
Louis Sullivan.
The most distinctive element
associated with the style is the strong horizontal
emphasis, which is
underscored by long bands of ribbon windows; long, low or flat rooflines; elongated terraces projecting from side
elevations; contrasting coping materials; wide, low chimneys; and horizontally placed decorative matenals. Prairie
style elements are often applied to four-square houses or appear in combination With Classical Revival elements. No
pure Prairie style dwellings are known in Palestine, but several four-square dwellings incorporate vaguely reminiscent
details, typically in conjunction with Classical Revival detailing ..
Queen Anne: The Queen Anne style personified the
nature of the late 19th-century picturesque movement,
,md an elaborate arrangement of ornamental details
I Imwn from English architecture gave the Queen Anne
Its appeal. The style's asymmetrical two-story form
typically appeared with frame construction.
A
'oileclJon of rounded towers, fanciful domes of every
;t18pe, turrets and steeply pitched roofs built up of
,;orllcal, pyramidal and hipped shapes distinguished
ilH~ Gueen Anne from other residential architectural
movements. No other style exhibited such rich
il;xtures: smooth
, 1.1pboard, Imbricated shingles, polychrome roof tiles, carved brackets, turned balusters and porch supports, and
I ~(~sidential Design Guidelines
23
sawn bargeboards were used to create a harmonious and lively configuration. This style was quite popular when
Palestine grew rapidly during the late 19th century and was often selected by the city's most affluent and
prominent residents who erected new houses that reflected their wealth and social status. The style was also a
favorite among the less affluent who merely applied selected features, a bay window or porch trim, to a more
vernacular house form.
Ranch: By the early 1950s the Minimal Traditional
style was being replaced by dwellings in the Ranch
style. The Ranch style house was developed in
California by several architects who were influenced
by the plan and massing of the Spanish Colonial
architecture of the American southwest, and by
Craftsman and Prairie style forms. The Ranch style
features a one-story mass with a very low pitched
front-and-side gable or hipped roof, horizontal
massing and moderate orwide overhanging eaves. A
minimal amount of decorative detailing was used and
was typically confined to porch supports and window
shutters. Larger than its Minimal Traditional cousin,
the Ranch house frequently sprawled across a lafge
urban lot and incorporated a wide facade finished
in wood, brick or stucco with an attached or integral garage. In warm climates, the Ranch house often was designed
with an interior plan that incorporated large sliding glass doors to access a private rear or side patio and visually and
functionally integrate interior and exterior living spaces. These private outdoor living spaces faced away from the
street and referenced the courtyards and patios of Spanish Colonial architecture and the porches and terraces of
Craftsman houses while contrasting with the late 19th and early 20th century emphasis on large yards and ample
front and side porches that integrated the house with the street and the surrounding neighborhood.
Second Empire: The Second Empire style is related
to Italianate design but mixes an exaggerated steeply
pitched Mansard roof, dormer windows and the
articulation of exterior walls and roofing materials with
color and/or texture. Fenestration treatments are
typically less elaborate on Second Empire houses as
are eave treatments. Italianate and Second Empire
styles are commonly used together to create richly
ornamented buildings that speak of the owners wealth
and social position. Widely built in the East and
Midwest between about 1855 and 1885, Second
Empire was considered very modern and imitated
then popular French architectural design of the
Second Napoleonic Empire during the reign of
Napoleon III. The style was used for dwellings as well
as for commercial and government buildings.
24
Shotgun House: A vernacular house type evolved
from a traditional African house form that was
transported from the Caribbean to Southern river
deltas in the United States (Vlach:1976, appears in
Upton and Vlach 1986:58-78). While often associated
with African-American urban settlements, the shotgun
house is a common feature of rural landscapes. The
shotgun house was built in Texas from the late 19th
century into the second quarter of the 20th century. In
plan, the shotgun is a single room wide and varies
from two to four rooms in depth. The typical shotgun
is only a single story high, but Palestine boasts
several two-story versions. Framed walls with
lapped wood (weatherboard) or board-and-batten construction prevails, as do front-facing gables or hipped roofs.
The majority of local shotgun houses were built with no or only modest amounts of architectural embellishment;
however, a handful of shotguns have distinctive stylistic ornament. The oldest ones have Italianate or Queen Anne
features, while>those dating to the 1910s and 1920s show Craftsman-like elements.
Spanish Colonial Revival:
Perhaps the most
popular of all revival style architectural design in areas
with a Spanish or Mexican colonial past is the Spanish
Colonial Revival style (also called Spanish Eclectic).
When applied to dwellings, this style uses
asymmetrical massing in one or two stories with a low
pitched red tile or wood shingle roof. Doors and
windows are often set within arched openings and the
wall surface is usually stucco. Detailing is a mix of
Moorish, Byzantine, Spanish Gothic or Spanish
Renaissance elements (McAlester: 416). The style
was widely built between about 1920 and 1940
throughout California and Florida, and to a lesser
extent in Arizona and Texas, where it most often
appears in San Antonio, Houston, EI Paso and Dallas.
Scattered examples occur in East Texas.
Tudor Revival: A style of architecture popular
between about 1915 and 1940 that features steeply
25
pitched roofs with intersecting, or cross, gables; brick
or stucco walls; windows with small, diamond or
rectangular panes; archways with a slightly flattened
point, and a large chimney with one or more chimney
pots (outlets for smoke). Some large Tudor Revival
style buildings have flat roofs. Some Tudor Revival
style buildings use stucco walls with half timbering.
Half timbering is the use of flat boards placed at
regular intervals to create interesting patterns on the
stucco. The style is named for the English royal
family that ruled England between 1485 and 1603 and
included King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.
Tudor Revival architecture was most often used for
domestic buildings, schools, churches, and
government buildings. It was occasionally used for
commercial buildings and for hospitals.
Two-Room: Imported into Texas by settlers from the
Upland and Lowland South in the mid 19th century,
the vernacular Two-Room house form remained in the
builder's repertoire into the first quarter of the 20th
century. As its name implies, the Two-Room plan
type consists of two rooms tEl hall and a chamber.of
unequal size and decoration. The larger room, or hall,
is the public space, while the smaller room is the
family's private chamber. The building footprint is
rectangular, one room deep and two rooms wide. All
local examples of the Two-Room house are 1-story
frame buildings with wood (usually weatherboard)
siding and side-gable roofs. Only one such building in
Palestine exhibits ornamentation characteristic of a
style, and that property has a pedimented portiCO that
is suggestive of the Greek Revival style.
-,- - - - - · - - - - r - - - - - - ,
26
v. Character of Palestine Historic Resources and
Neighborhoods
INTRODUCTION
The City of Palestine encompasses 17 square miles and is situated virtually in the center of Anderson
County. As the seat of Anderson County, Palestine is a government center as well as a shopping and
employment magnet for county residents. Palestine.os estimated 2000 population is 17,598 residents. Several
units of the Texas prison system are within the county as is a large warehousing operation for a national discount
retail firm. Historic Palestine is defined by Loop 256, and contains the city.os historic retail and commercial core,
original rail and industrial corridors, parks and cemeteries and encircling historic residential neighborhoods. The
loop itself, U.S. Highway 79 and 287 south and a few other thoroughfares feature strip commercial development
and funnel most of Palestine.os vehicular traffic around the historic community and its neighborhoods. Scattered
suburban and industrial development also is present at the extreme north and south portions of the city limits.
Palestine is characterized by mid-19th to mid- 20th century residential, commercial, institutional,
industrial and infrastructural development. The historic community is wholly within Loop 256 and its residential
neighborhoods are rare and highly intact concentrations of late 19th and early 20th century architecture. Small
enclaves of post-World War II tract housing and early 1960s housing also are within the loop, chronicling
. continued population growth, changing social organization and evolving architectural philosophies. Twelve
distinct residential neighborhoods and two commercial retail districts bear witness to community history and
development and present a strong sense of time and place. Three other areas adjacent to the city.os commercial
core include historic residential and commercial uses with vacant land and post 1960 development, each a
record of the community.os efforts to keep up with changing business, transportation and life style trends. A
limited number of historic industrial, religious, and educational buildings and five cemeteries also are within the
loop.
At the core of Palestine are three commercial areas. Perhaps the oldest location for trade is Crawford
Avenue where it crosses Caddo Creek. Traditional stories place some of Palestine.os first mercantile ventures in
this little vale. Today the area is defined by informal linear development along Crawford Avenue and flanking the
creek and a rural feeling remains due to the small scale, one-story development and the natural stream bed and
banks. The Caddo Creek commercial area connects Palestine.os two primary commercial areas, the pre-1870
courthouse square commercial district and its post-1872 railroad-spawned New Town commercial center along
Spring, Main and Oak streets. Although both old and New Town commercial areas are laid out on a grid plan,
the courthouse business district encircles the court house in checkerboard fashion, while New Town is oriented
in a linear fashion north of, and parallel to, the railroad. Surrounding the commercial center are Palestine.os
residential neighborhoods, which include churches, schools and hospitals. Along the north-south and east-west
rail lines are remnants of the once dominant railroad and the city.os industrial complexes.
Historic development in the two central business districts include one-to-five-story architecturally diverse
retail, commercial and government buildings including the non-historic city hall and Palestine.os historic Carnegie
Library, now the Chamber of Commerce. Churches also are present due to the proximity of historic residential
neighborhoods immediately north of New Town.
Residential development is a mix of one-to-three story dwellings primarily constructed of wood, although
some dwellings are brick or stone, or a combination of wood and masonry. Pre-railroad era residences were
concentrated north and northwest of the courthouse; part of this area is now the North Side Historic District (NR
1998) one of two National Register historic districts. The residential area south of New Town and the I&GN
tracks developed as a result of the boom created by the railroad. It is now the South Side Historic District (NR
1998). Other historic neighborhoods developed after 1872, spurred by tremendous population growth related to
the railroad. Noteworthy residences include the 1848-1851 George and Cornelia Howard House, a small, Greek
Revival style dwelling and one of Palestine.os oldest
27
Location of Palestine within Anderson County
Source: Texas State Archives
28
\
.~
111-'-
--
o....---.~,...
_..--
.....
.....
North Side Historic District (National Register Historic District)
29
~by
"ardy""_./oI-..A .......-._
Auoo<Mt. T.M)I,
,"1
----~
.~
."'--....,..""""""
o H~·
----- ------South Side Historic District (National Register Historic District)
II
I'00I19.'
, I
surviving residences; the 1896/1902 John and Emma Hearne House, a grand Queen Anne style dwelling; the
1897 Edwin and Eva Link House, also a grand Queen Anne residence; the 1870/1913 P. A. and Mollie Kolstad
House, a hybrid Italianate/Queen Anne style dwelling popular with many Palestine residents; the 1902 LucasDavey House, an opulent Queen Anne dwelling; the 1884 Royall House, a grand 2 • story Second Empire
mansion; the ca. 1925 Phillip and Jennie Myers House, a Tudor Revival cottage; and a ca. 1925 duplex on
South Magnolia with Craftsman style detailing. A large number of modest one-story late Victorian-era dwellings,
as well as houses built in a variety of early 20th century styles including Classical Revival, Craftsman and Tudor
Revival are found throughout the community. East of Crockett Road are enclaves of one-story ca. 1945 to 1960
tract type dwellings featuring ranch styling. Also present are a small number of post-1950 Colonial Revival
dwellings. One of these neighborhoods contains Palestine.os most defined concentration of early modern house
30
forms 1 that could be eligible for district listing on the National Register or as a local historic district.
PalestineAlS cemeteries are dispersed on the east side of the historic community. Catholic and Jewish
cemeteries are adjacent at the northeast portion of the city, while the Protestant Cemetery is directly east of the
courthouse square and its east-side neighborhood. Memorial Cemetery historically served PalestineAlS African
American residents; it is north of the Jewish and Catholic cemeteries. Noteworthy infrastructure elements
include the steel railroad bridge at Crockett and the I&GN tracks, and manhole and meter covers in the North
Side and South Side Historic Districts. Significant landscaping elements in both historic districts are iron fencing,
walls, gates and, of course, mature trees.
HISTORIC AND EXISTING DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
The historic community of Palestine developed around the Anderson County Court- house and major
regional cross roads. Situated in the center of Anderson County, major roads lead east and west as well as
north and south. U.S. Highway 79 connects Palestine with other east Texas cities, including Jacksonville and
Henderson, and continues into northwest Louisiana. Going west, U.S. 79 provides access to Austin, the state
capital. The major north-south highway, U.S. 287 connects Palestine with Beaumont to the southeast and Fort
Worth, Wichita Falls and Amarillo to the northwest. Of even more importance historically were the railroads.
Population surged with the advent of railroad service in 1872 and Palestine became the headquarters for its
primary rail server, the International & Great Northern Railroad. A new downtown sprang up north of the rail
yards, drawing activity from the established commercial area around the courthouse. Many new residential
areas also developed, and those north of the rail line and the new downtown were largely middle and working
class neighborhoods serving railroad employees and other workers. South of the rail yards, a wealthy enclave of
rail executives and merchants built grand homes, while on the fringes of that neighborhood, small dwellings were
built and occupied by conductors, mechanics and employees of the Dilley Foundry, which occupied the west
edge of the new south side neighborhood, providing jobs for many workers.
When Palestine was platted in 1846, the community was laid out on 100 acres focused on the
courthouse square, which occupied the entire central city block. From there lots and blocks fanned out in a
regular grid pattern, two blocks deep following the so called Shelbyville square plan (Price 1968, reprinted in
Upton and Vlach 1986:124.145). Streets were laid out on a north-south, east-west axis, and the square became
the hub of local commerce, eclipsing the informal trade center on Caddo Creek. The town plat did not, however,
contain the entire population, which was spread out on farms and homesteads to the north, northeast and
northwest. Some of these early dwellings survive in the North Side Historic District, which encompasses
PalestineAlS oldest residential area. Cemeteries were placed east of the square, outside the sphere of town
activity. After emancipation, African Americans settled in the area northeast of the square, an area that remains
largely African American.
With the arrival of the railroad, an event unwelcomed by many of the communityAlS established families, a
second commercial district, called New Town, developed parallel to the tracks. It too uses a grid plat, but one
that is linear, like the railroad. The railroad and New Town re-oriented the business and social life of Palestine
away from the courthouse square. Spring Street, on the south edge of New Town and adjacent to the I&GN
tracks, became the primary east-west thoroughfare through the cityAlS central core. Residential neighborhoods
mushroomed north, west and south of the new downtown. A second African American neighborhood sprang up
in an area separated from the rest of Palestine by both the east-west and north-south railroad rights-of-way, but
adjacent to jobs in the rail yards, at the Dilley
1 See the property types discussion in Chapter IV above and A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia
and Lee McAlester (Alfred A. Knopf, 1984), for a definition of styles and architectural terminology.
31
Source: City of Palestine
Plat of Courthouse Square, 1846.
Foundry and other important industrial plants inctuding lumber yards, planing mills and cotton gins. Today, this
African American neighborhood remains isolated by the surviving rail tracks and social patterns. A large Irish
Catholic population settled in Palestine, coming to work on the railroad, and staying to help build a prosperous
community. Most Catholic workers lived north of New Town, in modest middle and working ctass
neighborhoods. Jewish merchants added to Palestine.os commercial life and occupied homes throughout the
community. Residential neighborhoods also were developed on grid plats, modified by terrain, rail lines and prerail roads.
By 1900 Palestine was largely contained with U.S. Highway 79 (Palestine Avenue) on the north and U.S.
Highway 287 (Crockett Road) on the east. On the south development ended 10 to 12 blocks south of the rail
line. Westward expansion north of Spring Street ended several blocks west of New Town. South of Spring
Street it ended several blocks west of the north-south tracks. After 1915 new neighborhoods developed east of
Crockett Road (U.S. Highway 287). south of Spring Street and north of Palestine Avenue, all areas well within
Loop 256. Residential development has continued on the east, and southeast side to the present time, with
three post-World War It neighborhoods identified as potential future historic areas. With only gradual population
growth since the 1920s, this residential development has been largely sufficient for the community. Commercial
activity remained in downtown Palestine, with New Town providing retail, entertainment and office uses until well
into the 1970s. Upon completion of Loop 256 in 1993, traffic was routed around the city.os historic core, rather
than through it, drawing retail, commercial and industrial development away from the city center. More recently
the high school and main post office have moved to the loop, further diminishing downtown activity. The loop had
little effect on residential neighborhoods, and much of residential Palestine and its historic circulation and
development patterns have survived. Historic commercial districts also survive, and although alterations have
decreased their historic integrity, important character defining patterns remain and many buildings can be
successfully rehabilitated or restored.
Unlike many Texas communities of Palestine.os size, the city retains significant concentrations of historic
resources and neighborhoods reflecting both pre-rail and post-rail development. These should be recognized as
the asset they are and made use of in revitalization efforts and heritage tourism promotion. However, proposed
future street improvements threaten the historic character and development patterns of several residential
neighborhoods and the New Town commercial district. Proposed street extensions and widening along Jackson,
Reagan, Sycamore, Park and Brazos and the elimination of the intersection at Sycamore and Spring would, if
constructed, significantly disrupt historic development and circulation patterns, turning sections of historic
32
neighborhoods into islands and diminishing the historic experience that is vital to successful revitalization efforts
in Palestine.os historic and commercial and residential areas.
OBSERVATIONS ON ARCHITECTURAL FORM
The earliest buildings in Palestine were typically of log construction. By the late 1850s milled wood was
available and buildings displayed more diversity of size and architectural form. Few of the early buildings have
survived. Most historic dwellings date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and display plan types,
architectural styles and materials associated with those eras. Many of the city.os largest and most prominent
residences have survived, as have hundreds of smaller, more modest properties. These properties reflect the
city.os position as an important commercial, manufacturing and rail center and reveal the way Palestine residents
lived. Some display high style architectural form and detailing, while most are distinguished by simplified
elements of the high style architecture in vogue at the time of construction; some are unadorned. Others include
elements from many alterations, styles and forms, suggesting the changing needs, tastes and budgets of
growing families or successive owners. Commercial and industrial resources, as well as infrastructure elements,
largely date from the same period as the surviving residences. Surviving historic schools are few, although
Palestine has several historic church buildings and a historic Carnegie Library. Thus, even though Palestine was
settled in the mid-19th century, the majority of surviving historic resources date from after the arrival of the
railroad in 1872.
While it is unfortunate that more buildings from the earliest period have not survived to represent that
portion of Palestine.os history, such a situation is the norm throughout the l:Jnited States. Palestine.os extant
historic properties reflect a significant period of community prosperity, the era of its greatest population growth,
and the period in which Palestine was the headquarters for a major railroad. Local historic properties, including
the commercial, religious, educational, governmental and industrial resources, along with hospitals, parks,
cemeteries and infrastructure are significant artifacts of a place and type of life both representative and atypical
of the American experience in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During the past 50 years as urbanization
has increased, and rail transit decreased, many communities of similar size and commercial position have
become depopulated; some have lost historic neighborhoods and commercial districts to neglect and
abandonment. Thus, the historic importance of Palestine.os resources has grown. In Palestine the population has
continued to grow at a gradual rate, and a large concentration of distinct historic residential neighborhoods
survive. Palestine has not just one commercial district, but two historic commercial districts, each reflecting
different, but equally important, periods in history. The history that made Palestine what it was, and what it
remains, is an asset that can and should be interpreted and brought to life through the rich, surviving
architectural heritage.
Most historic resources in Palestine are composites of plan types, architectural styles and building
materials, and most were built by local carpenters and contractors, although some buildings were designed by
local architects or architects with a statewide reputation. Many dwellings reflect the wealth and social position
attained by Palestine.os industrialists, merchants and railroad executives. But most houses were built for middle
class or working class people. As a result their size, and design features, are typically modest. Commercial
buildings, schools and churches use high style design as well as more modest detailing reflecting community
demographics. Dwellings and commercial buildings were enlarged to meet the needs of growing families and a
growing population. Older architectural forms were covered, enlarged or updated, often many times, creating a
mix of architectural elements. When such changes are compatible with the over all design, scale and materials
of the historic property, they can be an asset as they document the way families grew, and how social and
economic conditions changed. Palestine.os resources relate the rich heritage of town life, typical of many EuroAmericans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Residential DeSign Guidelines
33
VI. Threats to the Survival of Palestine Historic
Resources and Neighborhoods
Palestine~ historic core, excluding its two historic commercial areas and rail yards, retains a remarkable
degree of physical and spatial integrity. Buildings in the two historic commercial districts have less integrity due
to much alteration. In addition many of the city~ most important public, commercial or transportation related
buildings have been lost, including the opera house, the railroad depot and commercial buildings on Spring, Main
and Oak streets. A number of factors threaten to further diminish the integrity of Palestine~ irreplaceable historic
residential and non-residential resources. When integrity is lost, the historic feeling of a neighborhood or district
is reduced, and in time, historic buildings are lost. If this happens, a community looses one of its most important
assets, its ability to attract new business, and new residents. And it looses its chance to develop a tourism
industry based on its history and neighborhoods. All across the country, heritage tourism is making a difference
in cities and towns. In the 1990s Texas heritage travelers spent about $1.43 billion dollars annually to see
historic buildings and neighborhoods in Texas towns 2 • With historic neighborhoods intact, Palestine can capture
some of this tourism investment.
Because Palestine~ population has increased slowly, development pressure typified by rising property
values and demand for vacant land has not occurred. Instead, many properties have been neglected or
abandoned. Others have been subject to many alterations as owners attempt to modernize properties, not
realizing that changes incompatible with historic design features devalues property. The most common changes
to historic resources in Palestine are deferred maintenance; removal of original wood frame windows and
replacement with vinyl or metal frame windows within the original openings; in some cases the size and shape of
the opening has been changed; installation of storm windows and storm doors that damage or obscure original
window materials; installation of metal awnings; enclosure of foundations and other incompatible alterations to
foundations; application of non-original materials over the original siding (T-111, asbestos, aluminum, vinyl,
stucco); removal or covering of original facade materials and filling in of original windows on commercial
buildings; large additions to front, side or rear elevations that are incompatible is scale, materials, design and
form with the original building; enclosure of or other incompatible changes to porches; changes to the roof form
or shape; sandblasting or painting of brick instead of cleaning it with water and mild soap; application of stucco to
wood or masonry surfaces where it was not historically present, the use of textured synthetic stucco products not
historically present and poor pointing of brick or stone using mortar that does not match the color of the original.
Construction of carports and metal buildings on the front or side of a property; installing satellite dishes in the
front or side yards; demolition of all or portions of historic properties; construction of modular homes and other
infill that are out of scale with surrounding historic buildings; installing gates and fenCing that screen and
separate residences from the surrounding neighborhood and adding reproduction streetlights as landscaping in
gardens where such lights were not historically present are other threats. Demolition of historic buildings and intill
construction or major remodeling of historic buildings since the middle 1950s has affected New Town and the
courthouse square as well as residential areas immediately adjacent. Most new construction or remodeling is
incompatible in scale, materials, and design with the historic buildings, and demolition has left holes in some
neighborhoods, creating a sense of economic decline. These elements are strongly intrusive and diminish the
historic character and architectural significance of remaining historic resources in these areas. However, with
appropriate rehabilitation or restoration, many altered resources can regain their historic integrity. Such efforts
will help these neighborhoods and commercial areas regain their character-defining features. Rehabilitation
efforts in New Town, and the adjacent areas to the west (area 9), north (area 17) and east (area 11) as
2 Texas Historical Commission, e1. al. Historic Preservation at Work for the Texas Economy, p. 3.
34
......
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Source: City of P'3.ldlinc
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Noftil Hill. "'"","'UJill H1.-onc 01*'"'" ~ Ov«ia,
e...:...", .. z..-.
IlL p~ EaM P~. . . . HlMOnG OUU'I:Q O"ul.,
alAr.... ~
~uil""t.i4 1olt:1....r 011""$
.-----"!
r'ru9UM" Hu.uuc OtsUlIOt .)1o",I~,
C j,nnwn;l¥ OUI,",'1 C •
.na,
Of
---..-.--..
~
Source: City of Palestine and Diane E. Williams
Historic Neighborhoods in Palestine. 2000
shown below, should be combined with appropriate infill standards and zoning to promote retention of historic
buildings and neighborhoods and their historic character while allowing for diverse compatible uses to encourage
investment and a return of these areas to economic use.
Existing commercial enterprises in historic buildings in New Town provide the community with shopping
and service destinations; a similar situation exists in the courthouse square area. Government
offices also draw residents to both areas. However, the relocation of the Palestine post office from New Town
has undoubtedly diminished resident visits to the area. While the relocation facilitates post office service, it has
35
diverted attention from the historic city center, making it more difficult to interest investors in rehabilitation of the
historic buildings. It also has diminished foot traffic along the street, reducing patronage of existing downtown
businesses. Although most commercial buildings in both commercial areas have been severely and
incompatibly altered, some retain sufficient integrity to be listed in the
National Register, and many others have potential for rehabilitation or restoration, and the entire New Town area
is a Palestine Historic District. If sufficient restoration occurred, the historic character of the both areas would be
recaptured, and their place as the focal point of the community could be re-established.
Historic residential neighborhoods are most affected by deferred maintenance, incompatible window and
siding changes and porch enclosures. Some dwellings also have been subject to large or incompatible
additions. Demolition is a secondary threat at this time, but one that will increase as dwellings continue to age
and maintenance is absent. A relatively new threat to historic district character is the construction or placement
of modular homes, mobile homes and trailers on vacant land. While these types of housing are often the most
affordable in today.os market and cannot be excluded from a community, they can and should be subject to
development standards that ensure compatibility with surrounding historic character.
36
VII. Guidelines for Repair and Maintenance of
Individually Listed Properties and Resources within
Historic Districts
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of design guidelines is, as has been said, to assist owners, residents and City officials in
protecting and preserving the character of designated historic properties and properties within designated historic
districts. To do this it is helpful to understand the philosophy of repairing and maintaining historic buildings and
districts and the components of such resources. The Secretary of the Interior.os Standards for Rehabilitation and
Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings are the benchmark for design guidelines (See Appendix A).
These standards have been in use since the 1980s and are a general guide for the repair, maintenance and
continuing use of historic properties. As such they are an appropriate reference for the following design
guidelines. The Secretary of the Interior.os Standards encourage the rehabilitation of properties in a reasonable
manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility. The Palestine design guidelines also follow
this philosophy. The Palestine design guidelines encourage the successful rehabilitation of historic properties
and districts in order to assist owners and residents in maintaining the quality of life and economic value
associated with historic properties and neighborhoods. It should be noted, however, that these design guidelines
cannot solve issues of code compliance or personal means or responsibility in the maintenance and repair of
historic properties and historic districts. While the Palestine design guidelines provide general and specific
direction for repair, maintenance and alteration of historic buildings, the guidelines cannot provide detailed
descriptive information for each and every situation. City officials and owners of National Register listed
properties and Contributing properties within National Register districts may obtain additional assistance from the
Texas Historical Commission in the review of architectural plans, proposals for alterations and the
appropriateness of proposed substitute materials. A number of architectural and technical publications are
included in the Bibliography to assist users of these guidelines.
The terms restore, rehabilitate and renovate are sometimes used interchangeably to describe the
process of repairing a historic building. And while all do, in fact, describe repair activities, these words have very
different meanings and involve different repair choices. Restoration is defined as the act or process of accurately
recovering the form and details of a property and its setting as it appeared at a particular time by means of the
removal of later work or by the replacement of missing earlier work. Rehabilitation is the act or process of
returning a property to a state of utility through repair or alteration that makes possible an efficient, contemporary
use while preserving those portions or features of the property that are significant to its historical, architectural or
cultural values. It typically involves using reversible processes and materials that are the least invasive and least
damaging to historic materials and design. Buildings undergoing rehabilitation are respected for their design
features ad materials, and new materials and design elements that make the building fancier or plainer are not
used. Renovation is the act of returning a property to a state of utility through the removal or permanent
alteration of those portions or features of the property that are significant to its historical, architectural or cultural
values. The Palestine design guidelines promote rehabilitation and encourage restoration where owners
desire to undertake a more intensive work program. The guidelines do not support renovation, as this activity
largely destroys historic materials and design features.
Residential neighborhoods in Palestine include some of the best surviving examples of dwellings built
between 1870 and 1910 in Texas. Palestine neighborhoods also include properties built before 1870 and after
1910. Two residential neighborhoods are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and another four
neighborhoods are potentially eligible for National Register listing. In addition, eight neighborhoods qualify for
local historic district listing, and many properties are individually eligible for National Register listing. Properties
within National Register districts are classified as Contributing or Noncontributing, a designation that identifies
those properties that retain their historic character (Contributing) and those that have been altered in ways that
have removed historic character (Noncontributing). Noncontributing properties also include resources in districts
that do not relate to its history because they were built before or after the events that make the district historically
37
important. Appendix B provides more information on definitions used in these guidelines.
Residential neighborhoods in Palestine are comprised largely of dwellings and related outbuildings such
as garages, sheds, garage apartments and other small buildings associated with residential buildings. However,
residential neighborhoods also include churches, schools, commercial buildings and occasionally industrial
buildings. Residential construction in Palestine is eclectic in nature, but neighborhoods also share unifying
attributes that meld the individuality of the residences into a cohesive neighborhood. Most dwellings are one and
two stories in height with a few 2. or three stories. Dwellings are built of wood, brick or stone (rare), in a variety
of styles that document the long period of time during which residential areas developed. The North Side Historic
District contains dwellings dating to the 1840s and 1850s-the oldest surviving residences in Palestine--as well
as houses built in the 1930s. The South Side Historic District developed after the arrival of the International &
Great Northern (I&GN) Railway in 1872 and contains a large concentration of dwellings built between 1872 and
1902, joined by many other houses built as late as the 1960s. Styles include Greek Revival, Colonial Revival,
Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, Classical Revival, Prairie influenced four square dwellings, Craftsman bungalows,
and center passage and L-plan houses with Queen Anne detailing. The Michaux Historic District contains
dwellings dating to the early 20th century, primarily bungalows mixed with a few large, high-style residences
featuring revival styles. This eclectic pattern is seen throughout the community and is a feature of most small
and medium sized towns in Texas. While features of each style and plan type on any given dwelling are
identifiable by specific elements, this diversity of design is made cohesive by the relationships of these individual
elements to the context of the neighborhood as a whole. Churches in residential neighborhoods are one or two
stQ(ies in height and constructed of wood or brick. Styles are Gothic Revival or Colonial Revival among others.
Schools are one or two stories and are built of brick. Commercial buildings in historic residential areas are few,
but include gas stations, small grocery stores, cafes and other neighborhood oriented businesses. These
buildings are one-story in height and styles, if any, and building materials vary. Industrial buildings at the edge of
historic neighborhoods or within them include lumber yards, buildings related to the railroad and the processing
of agricultural products. Heights and building materials of these buildings vary too; they usually have no style but
are described as utilitarian.
The following guidelines focus on appropriate repair, maintenance and rehabilitation processes for
dwellings and related residential outbuildings. New construction within residential historic districts also is
addressed. Additional guidance for specific compatible construction, cleaning and treatment techniques can be
obtained by consulting the many technical references listed in the Bibliography found in the section headed
Technical Assistance. The National Park Service.os Technical Briefs and Tech Notes are especially valuable
resources for owners, contractors, carpenters, and architects. They provide detailed instructions for specialized
repair and construction methods appropriate for historic buildings.
To better understand the character defining elements associated with historic residences and historic
neighborhoods and facilitate use of the guidelines, discussion of the individual and unifying elements that
combine to create historic character is offered. It should be noted that the majority of the techniques and issues
presented for residential properties are also appropriate for non-residential buildings located within residential
historic districts. Where non-residential buildings require an approach that is different from residential treatment,
appropriate suggestions for non-residential property types are presented. In all other cases users of these
guidelines should apply the recommendations to both residential and non-residential buildings located within
residential historic districts or within the boundaries of individually designated residential properties.
SUGGESTED APPROACHES TO REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE TO HISTORIC AND
CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES
Historic buildings, whether individual or within historic districts have several components. If historic
character is to be retained, each of these must be addressed during repair and maintenance as well as when
additions or alterations are made. These components include building site, building exterior, building interior,
structural systems and mechanical systems. In addition, health and safety requirements of building and fire
codes and energy conservation are also important related issues.
BASIC DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
38
Siting and Setbacks: Residential
Left to right: 1. Setback too shallow; 2. Setback too deep, 3.
dWHliinqs
in
historic
Palestine
Setback just right.
! lHlqhborhoods are sited on lots of
varying Size, but most are square or
rectangular. Placement of residences
I nlative to the street is consistent and
dwellings are sited back from the
';treet a given number of feet. This
forms a more or tess straight line when
/'
/
the dwellings on a given block are
viewed from the comer. Front yards
are of approximately equal depth.
Secondary buildings such as garages,
sheds, guest houses and the like are
in rear or side yards, behind or to the
sides of the primary building, thus
preserving the front yard space of
each dwelling and the visual aspect of
the street as a whole. Siting and
setbacks are important character
defining elements that reflect the
density of
development in any given area. Non-residential buildings in residential historic districts such as churches and
schools have a similar setback pattern to residential buildings, while small commercial buildings may be positioned at
the front property line and have no front setback. However, setbacks for these building types may vary.
Orientation: Residential dwellings in historic Palestine neighborhoods are oriented with the front of the house facing
the street. When built on a corner lot, a house may face one or the other of the streets, but most often, a house on a
corner lot historically faced the dominant of the two streets. The front entry and porch defines the front of a dwelling.
Orientation is an important character defining element that reflects the interaction and sociability of neighborhood
residents with each other through the accessibility and visibility of entries and porches. Non-residential buildings also
are oriented with the main entry facing the primary street and often have entry porches or vestibules.
Form/Massing: All buildings have a
form (or massing) that delineates
them. Some dwellings are tall and
narrow, others have a low, wide
profile. Some are boxy with square or
rectangular shapes, while others are
irregular, shaped like an L, a U, a T, an
H or an X. Some have projecting
porches and balconies, others have
porches, balconies and wings that are
recessed. Some have
pitched roofs, others flat, still others pyramidal, hipped, or sloping. These elements define the form, or massing, of a
building and also apply to non-residential buildings. Building mass, or form, and the massing rhythms present on a
block or within a neighborhood create a profile of the buildings that reflects age, style, and aesthetic sense of the
39
period or periods in which the dwellings were built and the neighborhood established. Another issue in form and
massing is the shape of the lot in relation to the building. Long narrow lots tend to have long narrow buildings, while
wider lots accommodate wider buildings. Lot shape and the prevailing pattern of lot shapes on a block are good
(Juides in designing additions or new construction.
Height: In Palestine neighborhoods dwellings are
one-story to three stories in height. Some residences
include a combination of one-story and two-story
sections. Height is a character defining feature of
historic dwellings and neighborhoods and, with
massing, is part of the profile of the area.as
development. Most historic churches, schools,
commercial buildings and other non-residential types
located in residential districts will be one to three
stories in height. The occasional industrial building
may be as tall as five stories. Foundation height is an
important character-defining element of historic
buildings. Most building foundations in residential
districts and at individually listed historic properties
utilize a raised pier and beam foundation. Such
foundations are composed of wood or concrete piers
of a uniform height evenly spaced undemeath the
entire building. These support horizontal beams to
which the flooring is attached and that transfer the
weight of the building.as structure to the foundation
piers. In addition to number of stories and overall
building, height, foundation height and construction
are important character defining elements of historic
buildings.
Residences of similar height.
40
Bay Divisions: The exterior walls (facade) of every dwelling is delineated by the placement and size of windows,
doors and porches. The windows and doors of any given residence are arranged in a pattern, often in ways that
visually divide the facade into bays. For example, the center passage house type is divided into three bayswindow, door, window. A four-square house is divided into two bays-door, window. Porches become part of the
bay division as they usually frame doorways. Bay diviSions, along with massing and height. are a character
defining feature of historic dwellings and neighborhoods and are part of the profile of the area.os development.
Bay divisions in non-residential provide the same character defining function as they do for residential buildings.
Bay divisions on first floor showing window, window, door, window, window.
Details: Specific details on buildings tell of style,
availability of decorative materials, relative wealth of
the original owner, skill of the designer and builder
and aesthetic sense of the owner. These character
defining elements include dormer windows, chimneys,
porches, projecting wings or ells, bay windows and
gable detailing. Details are important features in
understanding and interpreting historic buildings and
neighborhoods and differentiating them from nonhistoric construction.
Details in non-residential
property types also are important character defining
features and will include window type and function,
detailing of areas around windows and doors, and
cornice, entry and wall surface treatments.
Porch and window details help define the
character of the dwelling.
Materials: Wood and brick are the two most common materials used on the exterior of Palestine residences and
these materials are important character defining elements. Like architectural details, historic materials tell of the
availability of materials, relative wealth of the original owner, skill of the deSigner and builder and aesthetic sense of
the owner. Many sizes and types of wood siding are no longer manufactured, and some types of brick are no longer
made. Brick masons and stone masons of the past possessed skills no longer practiced. Thus, historic materials are
tangible links to lost construction arts. Materials are important features in understanding and interpreting historic
City of Palestine. Texas
41
buildings and flf'lqhtlorhoods and differentiating them from non-historic construction. As with historic dwellings,
historic nonwsldontlill bwldinqs in Palestine are most often built of wood or brick. A few buildings have stucco, stone
or metal exlenms.
Windows and Doors: fhe placement and
Windows, doors and wall surfaces create a
relationship of tho sIze of windows and doors within
pattern of positive and negative space that defines
:md to wall surtac(~s and the type of windows and
the house.
doors historically prHsent <1150 are important character
defining elements. Most historic bUildings in Palestine
use double hung sash (wood), fixed pane (wood), or
metal or wood casement window types placed in
several locations within each room with areas of solid
wall between. Doors are usually solid wood, often
ornately carved with or without fixed pane windows.
Window and door sizes and types document the
technology and aesthetic tastes of the era in which the
buildings were built. For example, many 19th century
houses have tall, narrow double hung wood sash
windows with multiple panes of glass. Their narrow
width reveals the limits of. glass manufacturing
technology, but their height, use of multiple panes and
placement on several walls shows how the limits of
technology were overcome to create windows that
provided good air circulation before the advent of
electric fans or air conditioning. Doors offered access
to the outside as well as ventilation, especially when they opened onto porches or balconies where residents could sit and cool
off. Wall surface areas between windows provided structural support for high ceilings and several window openings
and space within rooms for furniture. Windows and doors are important features in understanding and interpreting
historic buildings and neighborhoods and differentiating them from non-historic construction. Window and doors are
just as important to historic non-residential buildings as they are to residential ones and the same issues of
technology, ventilation and relationship of window and door size and placement also apply. Windows and doors on
non-residential buildings perform the same functions as in residential types and also are important character defining
features.
Style: Architectural styles in historic neighborhoods reveal the era in which the different residences and nonresidential buildings were constructed. They are reflections of cultural preferences and events. Architectural styles
are important to understanding and interpreting historic buildings and neighborhoods and differentiating them from
non-historic construction.
BUILDING SITE
The building site is the property on which a dwelling or other building is located. Each building site has
characteristics specific to it such as dimensions, size, location in mid-block or at a corner. slope, terrain and other
natural features. Man-made features also define a building site and these include the primary dwelling along
with outbuildings (garages, sheds, wells, greenhouses, servants quarters, guesthouses, fences and walls,
walkways and driveways and landscaping. Every building site also has characteristics that are generally present
throughout the neighborhood or historic district. The most important of these are the setback, or distance from
the street the house or other building is placed, and the orientation of the dwelling and garage or other building to
the street. The consistent presence of these characteristics help define the visual appearance and functional
arrangement of a neighborhood or historic district and are important features to protect and preserve. These
City of Palestine , Texas
42
secondary elements are integral to each historic property or historic district and are just as important as the
buildings themselves. The following criteria are presented to assist owners and City officials in understanding
compatible methods of repairing and maintaining site features associated with historic properties and buildings
within historic districts.
FENCING AND WALLS: Historically, fencing in Palestine included wood, iron, brick and a mix of wood and metal
mesh. Wood picket fences were perhaps most common until about 1930. Highly decorative, and expensive, cast or
wrought iron fencing at the property lines of large Victorian era mansions was also used prior to 1900. Brick or native
stone walls were also present at some properties. Fences built of wood or metal posts and rectangular metal mesh
(sometimes called hog wire) were common until the 1940s at the rear and side property lines of modest dwellings.
Solid plank fences, also called privacy fencing, were built in the 1940s and thereafter and were usually associated
with Minimal Traditional and Ranch style dwellings. Split rail fencing is often used with Ranch and Colonial Revival
style dwellings of the 1935-1960 period. Original fencing and walls should be preserved and repaired whenever
possible using in kind materials that match texture, color, scale and design. When this is not possible or desirable
due to environmental conditions or unavailability of historic materials, historically compatible alternatives should be
used; for specific suggestions see Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. Fencing and walls associated with
non-residential historic buildings also may be present. Such elements are important to non-residential building and
site character. As with dwellings, building style and period of construction usually defines the character of fencing
and walls associated with non-residential buildings. School and churches that have Colonial Revival design features
often use red brick walls or white wood for fencing elements. Art Deco schools sometimes have brick or stone walls
on their perimeters. The principles applied to repair and maintenance of fencing and walls associated with residential
properties apply to similar elements associated with non-residential ones.
Recommended: Fencing that is deteriorated, broken, or missing sections should be repaired using in kind materials
whenever possible. Missing elements should be replicated based on accurate copying of existing features, such as
wood picket or post designs. When repair or replication are not possible, new fencing of a historically compatible
design may be substituted; see the section on Fencing and Walls in Chapter VIII for historically appropriate new
fencing. When repairs or replacement of incompatible non-historic fencing is necessary such should be removed and
replaced with historically compatible elements.
Not Recommended: Synthetic or man-made materials that mimic wood, brick or native stone are not recommended
for use at historic properties or within historic districts. Welded steel fencing, sheet metal fencing and hurricane
fencing also are not recommended because they do not contribute to the historic character of historic properties and
districts. Unplastered concrete block, adobe brick, poured concrete walls or walls made of other materials are not
historically compatible with Palestine.os residential historic neighborhoods. Sandblasting brick to remove paint is not
recommended as it destroys the hard outer finish that naturally occurs on fired brick, allowing water absorption that
leads to deterioration of the brick.
43
Types of historic fencing types
Repair and Maintenance Tips: All fencing should be repaired in kind. Historic wood fencing includes a wide variety
of types and design of individual elements so care should be taken to match existing features when repairs are
needed. Iron fencing also can be quite varied, although in Palestine many surviving iron fences are very similar, if
not identical, suggesting a common source. When picket and wood plank fencing and plastered walls (but not the
coping) are already painted, repairs should include painting the replacement areas to match; colors should be
compatible with the associated dwelling. Other types of fencing and walls should not be painted. When extant fencing
and walls are repaired, maximum heights are governed by the existing fence or wall being repaired.
WALKWAYS AND DRIVEWAYS: Historically, walkways in Palestine were native stone, poured or cast concrete,
brick, gravel, earth or grass. Original walkways should be preserved and repaired whenever possible. When this is
not possible or desirable due to environmental conditions historically compatible alternatives should be used; for
specifics see Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties.
.
.
While driveways are most often thought of as 20th century inventions made necessary by the automobile,
driveways have been a feature of historic properties as long as there have been horses, wagons and carriages. The
earliest driveways were earth, grass or gravel. Stone and brick also was used prior to the advent of the private
automobile. Poured or cast concrete is a more recent invention. All of these driveway types are present in Palestine,
with cast concrete the most commonly used type.
As with walkways, original driveways should be preserved and repaired whenever possible. When this is not
possible or desirable due to environmental conditions historically compatible alternatives should be used; for specifics
see Chapter VIIi. Alterations to Historic Properties. The principles applied to repair and maintenance of walkways
and driveways associated with residential properties apply to similar elements associated with non-residential ones.
Recommended: Walks and driveways should be concrete, brick. stone, crushed rock or gravel, or grass to match
existing. Concrete should not be painted or stained and rock should be locally occurring iron stone. When repairs or
replacement of incompatible non-historic walks or driveways is necessary such should be removed and replaced with
historically compatible elements.
Not Recommended: Synthetic or non-traditional materials such as asphalt, broken tile set in concrete, poured
concrete laid in a continuous ribbon without dividing seams rusticated (rough) concrete blocks, rounded concrete
paving stones or riprap are not recommended because they were not used during the historic period and they detract
from the historic character of a property and a district as a whole.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Repairs to walks and driveways should be undertaken with in kind materials to
match color, texture and pattern of the historic feature. Portland cement will need to be tempered with masonry dyes
and addition of extra sand in order to match historic mortar and pavement textures and colors. See the section on
masonry walls below for information on masonry repair tips.
OUTBUILDINGS: Outbuildings provide for secondary uses on a historic property. Included are garages, sheds,
chicken coops, wells and well houses, smoke houses, garage apartments, carriage barns, barns, guest houses and
servants quarters. Historic properties in Palestine once included many more of these buildings, but with technological
advancements the need for many of these buildings has declined dramatically causing deterioration and demolition.
Among those that most often survive are garages, sheds, guest houses, and garage apartments. The preservation of
outbuildings associated with individual historic dwellings and within districts as a whole is desirable since these
buildings contribute to understanding historic life styles and building techniques. In most cases outbuildings were
modest buildings constructed of wood and small in scale. Sometimes, however, garages and garage apartments,
44
carriage houses and servants quarters were bUilt of brick and detailed in a manner similar to the primary dwelling.
No matter what the original form and materials 01 historic outbuildings, these important features should be preserved
and repaired whenever possible. When this is not possible or desirable due to environmental conditions or
unavailability of historic materials, historically compatible altematives should be constructed if a replacement is
needed--as in the case of garages and sheds. See specific guidelines for creating historically compatible
outbuildings for individual historic properties and those within historic districts in the section on outbuildings in
Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. Historic non-residential properties also may have associated
outbuildings including sheds and other types of storage areas. The principles applied to repair and maintenance of
outbuildings associated with residential properties apply to similar elements associated with non-residential ones.
1. Garage
2. Garage and Storage
Recommended: Repairs to outbuildings should be with in kind materials that match existing texture, pattern and
color of historic materials. Non-historic elements such as carports should be compatible with the historic buildings on
the property and should not block views of historic outbuildings or the primary dwelling. When repairs or replacement
of incompatible non-historic outbuildings is necessary such should be removed and replaced with historically
compatible elements.
Not Recommended: Outbuildings repaired with synthetic materials, materials incompatible with the existing
materials.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Outbuildings have many of the same components as the primary building on a site,
and the guidelines for repairing roofs, walls, foundations and other features discussed below under Building Exterior
apply to outbuildings as well.
SIGNS: Freestanding signs are permitted in residential historic districts where dwellings have been converted to
offices or bed and breakfast inns. Since signs were not originally present in association with most historic residential
properties, most signs will be non-historic features. Where existing signs occur and they do not conform to guidelines
discussed below, such signs should be replaced with a historically compatible type when the need to replace such
signs occurs; for specifics see Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. Non-residential buildings are likely to
have had historic signs. If such signs remain, they should be repaired and preserved. Where they no longer exist,
they should be recreated from historic photographs, and when this is not possible, created following the standards in
Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. The principles applied to repair and maintenance of signs associated
45
with residential properties apply to similar elements associated with non-residential ones. Signs appropriate for
historic districts are best made by local sign makers from wood, which will not rust, and is less expensive to repair
,md maintain than manufactured signs using plastic, metal or synthetic products.
Recommended: Repair historic freestanding and building mounted signs and those that are historically compatible
with in kind materials that match size, shape, texture, color and materials.
Not Recommended: Repair of historic freestanding and building mounted signs and those that are historically
compatible with materials, design or lighting that alters the historic character or historically compatible appearance of
such signs.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Existing historic freestanding or building mounted signs are rare in Palestine.os
residential neighborhoods. Where they do exist repair and maintenance will consist of repainting, replacing a
deteriorated section member, fixing any lighting associated with such signs, and repointing brick or stone. Repair of
wood, painting and repointing of brick or stone should be conducted using the same techniques discussed below
under masonry and wood walls. Non-historic signs that are inoperable should be removed and replaced with a
historically compatible freestanding sign following the guidelines discussed below in Chapter VIII. Alterations to
Historic Properties. When non-historic signs associated with defunct businesses remain on a residential or nonresidential property, they should be removed. Existing non-historic signs that continue to be used in association with
an operational business should be replaced with a historically compatible sign following the guidelines in Chapter VIII
below when they become inoperable or need major repair. Historic signs attached to the exterior walls of buildings
such as churches, schools and businesses should be preserved and maintained. Replacement of attached signs
should be based on a historic photograph or when this is not possible, a new sign should be created following the
standards for signs given in Palestine.os Commercial Design Guidelines handbook. The City should consider offering
rebates or grants for replacement of non-historic signs to owners of property and businesses where such exist.
MAILBOXES: Freestanding mailboxes at historic residential properties were not present in the historic period and
should not be built since they intrude on the visual understanding of the site surrounding a historic residential
property. Mailboxes should be mounted on the exterior wall of a porch or near the entry and should be small, metal
or wood enclosures compatible in size, scale, materials, texture and color with the exterior of the building. For
example, a brass mailbox mounted near the front entry of a Colonial Revival style dwelling would be an appropriate
choice.
GARBAGE CONTAINERS: Although not present in the historic period, modern garbage containers and garbage
cans are a necessary fact of hygiene. Garbage containers and cans should be placed in small wood sheds or wood
enclosures not visible from the street. Design of the sheds or enclosures should follow the guidelines for outbuildings
set forth in the outbuildings section of Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. Other options are to screen
these receptacles with hedges or low fencing such as wood pickets.
46
Examples of screening for garbage containers: lattice, picket fence, hedge
LIGHTING: Lighting in residential historic districts and around historic buildings (except for overhead porch lighting
and back porch wall mounted lighting) was not generally present until the 1950s. As a result most exterior lighting
fixtures are non-historic in origin. Repair and maintenance of historic outdoor lighting fixtures should be conducted
instead of replacing such lighting with modem or reproduction fixtures. Most often porch or entry lighting needs reconnection of wiring or repair of a glass shade. Such is usually relatively easy to perform. When repair is not
possible. a similar type fixture should be installed, with careful attention paid to the color and shape of the glass
shade. Reproduction shades and entire fixtures appropriate for various architectural styles are available from mail
order sources specializing in historic lighting. Lighting for non-residential buildings in residential districts or on
residential properties should follow the same guidelines as for historic residential properties.
Recommended: Overhead porch or entry lights, and small fixtures compatible in design and materials with the
style of the building that are mounted on walls near doors. When repairs or replacement of incompatible nonhistoric exterior lighting is necessary such should be removed and replaced with historically compatible
elements.
Types of historically compatible lighting
Not Recommended: Lighting fixtures incompatible in design and materials with the style of the building. Large
light fixtures on buildings or in yards, flood lights, reproduction street lights used within residential yards or
historic districts, lights mounted on poles at the property line, unshielded light fixtures, colored lights (except for
short-term seasonal. holiday lighting), high wattage bulbs, high pressure sodium lights and other modem types.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Clear epoxy glues can be successfully used to carefully repair broken glass fixtures;
excess should be wiped from glass surfaces. Brass, cast iron, bronze and other metals should be cleaned with soap
; Hld water. Refer to the publication Metals in AmericaJ8 Historic Buildings: Uses and Preservation Treatments
Hesidential Design Guidelines
47
(Gayle, Look and Waite) for repair and cleaning of historic metal surfaces. Rewiring should be conducted according
to City code requirements.
LANDSCAPING: Landscaping associated with individually listed historic properties or within designated residential
historic districts consist of many elements. Some of these are historic features and others more recent introductions.
While the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review landscaping it does encourage retention of historic
landscape features and plantings. Owners, residents and City officials should be aware of historic landscaping
elements and are encouraged to retain these features when maintaining existing landscaping or installing new
landscaping. Street trees planted 50 years ago or more, and mature trees located on individual parcels are historic
elements within a district or individual property and should be retained. Large specimen trees such as magnolias,
cedars, oaks, walnuts and pecans should be recognized for their visual and historic value, as should mature fruit
trees and types providing canopies above buildings and streets. Lawns, shrubs and flower beds are part of current
landscaping design, but older garden aesthetics included elements such as knot gardens, naturalistic, or wild,
gardens, formal, manicured gardens and themed gardens using a particular plant type, such as roses or herbs. See
Chapter VIII below for specifics on historic garden types.
Recommended: Owners are encouraged to retain and care for mature trees and large shrubs as well as beds
containing mass plantings of a specific flower type. Specimen trees such as oaks and pecans should be property
pruned. A certified arborist is best qualified to undertake disease control and periodic pruning for shape and tree
health. Owners may wish to consult plant identification books to learn more about the type of trees and flowers in
their yards.
Not Recommended: Removal of mature trees and shrubs, formal planting areas associated with the building over a
long period of time. Removal of garden areas to plant lawn that requires large quantities of water. Pruning of trees
that weakens them or otherwise causes damage.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Regular maintenance of garden areas include lawn mowing, weed removal,
replacement of dead plants and regular feeding and watering. When historic features such as formal gardens or
mature trees and shrubs are present, learning about plant growth habits and requirements will help ensure successful
maintenance of garden areas. Consultation with garden experts or books can assist owners in becoming more
proficient in caring for existing gardens and plant specimens.
PARKING LOTS: While parking lots were not a historic feature of residential neighborhoods, the need for automobile
parking in historic residential districts is a reality. Where dwellings have been converted to office, bed and breakfast
or multi-family apartments, street and driveway parking often proves inadequate. As a result, some residential
properties may have associated parking lots. Parking requirements for non-residential buildings in historic residential
districts may necessitate installation of new parking lots. When this is required the guidelines set forth in Chapter
VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties for residential properties should be followed.
48
Hecommended parking lot treatment for residential areas
Recommended: Paving repairs should be made with in kind materials applied to replicate texture, color and pattem.
No nHW parking lots should be permitted in front yard areas, and when existing lots need major repair they should be
re-slted to a rear or side area not visible from the street. When front and visible side yard parking lots are associated
with businesses or uses that cease to operate, such existing lots should be removed.
Not Recommended: Non-screened parking areas, and the use of metal fencing or walls as screening. Paving
repairs that do not use materials or methods compatible with the existing materials.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Parking in front, side or rear yards of buildings should be screened by hedges,
shrubs, trees or wood picket or vertical plank fences. Such screening does not have to completely block views of the
automobiles, but rather provide a visual and physical barrier that removes the presence of the parking area from
obvious view. Repairs to paving should be made with like materials applied to replicate texture, color and pattern.
SATELLITE DISHES: Satellite dishes are seen throughout Palestine~ historic neighborhoods, often in front yards or
attached to the roof or front of the house or other building. These appliances are not compatible in terms of design,
materials or visual associations with historic properties or historic districts and should not be placed where they can
be seen from the public right-of-way. The City of Palestine governs placement of satellite dishes in Section 22-53 of
the Palestine Building section of the Code of Ordinances and in Ordinance 0-9-90 (Historical Preservation Zoning).
Repair should be with in kind materials. These same rules apply to satellite dishes placed on non-residential
buildings. Television and radio towers are not permitted in historic districts or on designated historic properties in
Palestine.
BUILDING EXTERIOR
Maintaining and repairing a historic building requires commitment to retaining historic materials. Techniques
and materials used should always be the least invasive, least damaging and reversible. Many good building
repair books are available that can provide the do-it-yourselfer with specific information on tools required and step-bystep instructions. A selection of these books are listed under Technical Assistance in the Bibliography of these
guidelines. Other publications listed in the Technical Assistance section of the Bibliography offer detailed data on
repairing, cleaning and maintaining specific historic materials such as metals, brick and stone, windows and so forth.
These should be consulted prior to hiring a contractor or beginning work. Protection and conservation of the original
exterior materials of a historic property is primary to retaining historic integrity so repairs and maintenance should be
viewed as a nurturing activity, designed to promote the health and long life of a historic building.
WALLS: The exterior walls of a historic building are one of its most important elements. Walls define the aesthetic
tastes and budget of the original owner, the skill of the designer and builder, the level of technology available when
the building was built. Whenever possible, original exterior wall materials and decorative detailing (including
brackets, endboards, gable returns, entablatures, pilasters, bargeboards, cornices and quoins) of historic properties
should be preserved and repaired. Repairing damaged wood, brick, stone, terra cotta, tile, adobe, stucco or other
original material is preferred over replacement. Covering or obscuring original materials or replacing original
materials with a different material detracts from the historic character of a dwelling and can promote water damage or
Lieterioration. Historic exterior wall materials in Palestine include the following: masonry products: brick, stone, terra
cotta, concrete, glazed tile, stucco and mortar; wood products milled to different profiles, widths and shapes:
clapboard, weatherboard, shingles, and other wooden siding and decorative elements; metal products such as cast
iron, steel, pressed tin, copper, aluminum and zinc. When it is not possible to or desirable to preserve original wall
sheathing or decorative elements due to environmental conditions or unavailability of historic materials, historically
49
compatible alternatives should be used. Siding and detailing that are historically appropriate will be compatible with
the type originally in place at a specific dwellinq. A historic photograph that shows the building prior to 1950 can
provide information on wall materials and patterns used in the historic period. Owners should consider recreating a
known siding type or detailing identified from a photograph. Alternatives to recreating known wall materials include
using a simpler version made from the same type materials. If historic photographs are not available or they do not
show the wall materials well enough to determine wood, brick or stone pattern, or the nature of the detailing, a
property owner should install siding and detailing compatible in materials, size, shape and function with the style and
age of the building. Specific guidelines for creating historically compatible siding and details for individual historic
properties and those within historic districts are found below in the section on walls in Chapter VIII. Alterations to
Historic Properties.
Recommended: Exterior walls should maintained and repaired using like materials, whether they be masonry, wood
or metal. Unpainted brick, stone or metal should not be painted. The type, size, texture and color of brick, stone, tile,
concrete or other masonry material used (and any grout or mortar present) to repair a historic property should match
the original as closely as possible. Wood siding selected for repairs should be matched for width, milling profile,
texture and general appearance so that when it is installed it will not appear markedly different from the original.
Metal siding used to patch a meta! building should be of the same material, gauge and decorative marking
(corrugated, standing seam, etc.) as the onqinal metal siding. Detailing should replicate known detailing elements in
design, scale, materials and placement, when known or documented by photographs.
I.
] ~
k:l ~
VI
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r
I'!,
hi
II
II
J!
\
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/
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1. Shingle siding; 2. Weatherboard siding; 3. Plywood; 4. Various siding profiles
Not Recommended: SynthetiC or non-traditional materials such as aluminum or vinyl siding, asphalt or asbestos
shingling, T-111 siding, plywood, wood shingling unless originally present on the building, concrete or synthetic brick,
concrete block, synthetic block materials, Hardiplank or other non-traditional wood or and masonry substitutes. Many
synthetic siding materials used in place of wood are not durable. Plastic stucco, vinyl tile, synthetic mortar and other
synthetic masonry products also should not be used. Wood with a raised grain should not be used as wood siding
and trim historically did not have rais{~d grain. These materials are not recommended because they were not used
during the historic period and they detract from the historic character of a property and a district as a whole.
Repair and Maintonance Tips: fhe primary purpose of the exterior walls of any building is to repel water and make
I'Vel interior comtortable for human activities. Exterior walls also help identify architectural style, age of the building
:md relative wl'1allh of the original owner. Moisture is the primary enemy of exterior materials and must be repelled
Ihroll!.jtl proper nlmntonance and repair. Buildings absorb moisture from humidity in the air, from rain and snow fall
,md frorn thH qround, where a high water table can create the wicking of water up through walls (sometimes called
.~------------------------------------------
I~Hsldential
Desiqn Guidelines
50
rising-damp). In wood buildings, holes, breaks, or lack of paint on siding can allow water to enter. When water is
present a building is vulnerable to termites and wood rot. In brick or stone buildings alternating freezing and thawing
and decay of mortar can allow water to enter and damage walls. Buildings with synthetic siding often trap moisture
between the original exterior materials (often wood) and the newer siding, creating a breeding ground for rot, mildew
and insect damage. To prevent water damage to any type of siding, water must be shed, but the building also must
be able to breathe.
Gutters and Downspouts: Gutters and downspouts help keep exterior walls dry by channeling water from the
roof to exit areas away from the walls and foundation. Historically gutters and downspouts were copper or
another high quality metal, or were constructed of painted wood and permanently attached to roof eaves. If such
materials are present in a historic building, they should be repaired and maintained in kind with care being taken
to match texture, thickness and height. However, most buildings in Palestine will have vinyl or galvanized metal
gutters and downspouts available for installation from building supply retailers. Most often these are made with a
squared U-shaped profile, which is not highly compatible with historic buildings. If possible gutters with a _ round
profile should be installed on historic dwellings. Gutters should be firmly attached to straight eaves and
connected to downspouts that take water away from the building. Downspouts work best when directed away
from a building and placed on splash blocks made of poured concrete designed in a shallow U-shape and set in
the ground. Gutters and downspouts must be periodically cleaned of leaves and other debris to keep them in
good working order. If galvanized metal or wood, painting also is needed to extend their life and utility.
Splash block for downspouts
Drains: Drains placed around foundation walls can reduce ground water problems, either in low lying areas or when
soil has poor drainage. Several techniques can be used. Excavate soil around the foundation to a depth of several
inches and replace the soil with gravel. Create a fairly narrow trench immediately next to the foundation wall and
install footing drains next to each foundation pier that use perforated plastic, ceramic or concrete pipes set in sand or
silica beads and fill the trench with gravel. The perforated pipes should be positioned to drain away from the building.
For problems with rising damp, a large drain can be constructed away from the building. Dig a large hole several
feet from the foundation, install a shallow layer of grave! in the bottom, place a perforated oil drum or similar container
on top and connect the drum to a metal or plastic pipe. Run the pipe above ground to connect to downspouts. This
will deposit runoff away from foundations. Other solutions for rising damp include laying damp proof courses in the
masonry wall, or injecting chemical compounds. Both ofthese are more complex and costly than creating drains and
are typically undertaken only by a qualified professional. Prior to undertaking either of these solutions conSUltation
with the Texas Historical Commission is strongly advised.
Ventilation: Repair of exterior wall surfaces, whether wood, brick or stone, will be lessened if proper building
51
ventilation is maintained. Moisture builds up because basements and attics are sealed tight and do not have vents to
allow for evaporation and air flow. Lack of ventilation also increases cooling bills as hot air has no escape. Siding
applied around foundations should be removed and enclosed attic vents uncovered. If no vents are present, wood,
metal or synthetic vents that are compatible in size, shape, material, texture and color should be installed in small
openings cut into the foundation and attic area walls. Fans can be placed inside attic spaces to increase ventilation
and evaporation. However, installing vents in the underside of eaves is not recommended for most historic buildings
since this type of venting was not originally present in historic buildings and its addition will detract from the historic
character of a building. Roof fans are not recommended unless the fans will be hidden by the roof shape or are of
very low profile and are placed in less visible locations.
Masonry Walls: Stone and brick walls
typically utilize mortar as a binder. With
time mortar can deteriorate. When
repainting (replacement of mortar) brick
or stone, the utmost care must be taken
to remove the decayed mortar, which is
then replaced with new mortar that
matches the color and texture of the
original. Assessment of the amount of
sand in the original mortar is needed.
Most mortar used in historic buildings
was made with hydrated lime cement
and local sand, not Portland cement.
Lime cements are typically softer than
Portland cement, which allows give and
take of the exterior wall and helps
prevent cracking and breaking of
exterior walls. Lime cements also
typically have a more neutral color than
Portland cement, which is often bright
white. Lime cements dyed to match the
original mortar should be used in the
repair of historic brick and stone work.
Match the original color and texture by
creating several test samples mixing the
lime cement with masonry dyes. Allow
to dry and then utilize the recipe that
most closely matches the original.
Typical ingredients will be hydrated lime,
Portland cement equal to 1/4 of the
amount of hydrated lime, as well as
sand and water and the amount of
masonry dye needed to create the
matching mortar color. When making
repairs to historic mortar for both brick
and stone buildings, joints should be
carefully scraped out using hand tools
only (chisels, brushes and pointing
tools). Don4 damage the exterior of the
brick or stone. Wet the brick or stone
with a hose, insert the mortar with a
masonry pointing tool, work the mortar
to match the recessing of the original, slightly concave mortar and
allow to set up one to two hours. Clean off the excess with a stiff,
non-wire, brush and a small amount of water.
1. Top and bottom: incorrect mortar profile in repointing brick
or stone walls; 2. Middle: correct profile
52
To clean masonry, use only the least abrasive and gentlest of methods. Brick or stone that is dirty,
mildewed, stained or painted can best be cleaned with water and a non-metal bristle brush. Low pressure presoaking with a fine spray works well. Boom nozzles get the water where you want it. Tests should be conducted on
unobtrusive areas prior to cleaning and water should be directed onto the surface at no more than 100 pounds per
square inch (psi) to prevent water abrasion. Under no circumstances should sand blasting be done. This
destroys the hard outer shell on fired brick and allows water to penetrate, eventually deteriorating the brick. Most
detergents and chemical cleaners can damage brick and stone and are not recommended. Water proofing materials
should not be applied to cleaned masonry as they can seal in unwanted water that leads to decay. If brick or stone
walls were painted historically, it may be better to repaint, after cleaning away loose paint with non-abrading tools.
Repointing should be done at least 30 days prior to painting so it can dry.
Wood Walls: Wood walls, window sills and surrounds and decorative elements made of wood are easily damaged
and require periodic painting. When replacing deteriorated wood elements, replace only those items that cannot be
repaired. New materials used should be the same in texture, dimensions, design and profile. Replacement of wood
elements with new wood elements is always preferred over synthetic types that attempt to mimic original historic
materials. Siding can be milled to order if no longer readily available from home improvement or building supply
outlets. If only a small amount is needed to replace rotted siding, cut out the damaged section and repair it with wood
to match, attached to a nailed in place backing piece. A skilled carpenter or custom wood working shop can cut new
siding to match. Molding, columns, pilasters and other elements should be exactly duplicated (replicated) when
repairs are made. Minor repairs to wood needed to keep out moisture can be made with wood putty or epoxies,
which are applied to holes, smoothed with a spatula, allowed to dry, sanded and painted. Re-painting exterior wood
walls requires cleaning and scraping of peeling paint, sanding (in some cases) to feather edges of remaining paint,
caulking and paint application. Sometimes two coats of paint are necessary. Exterior walls can be water blasted with
low pressure spray, but unless allowed to thoroughly dry before painting, moisture can remain in the wood, causing a
need to repaint sooner than otherwise necessary.
ROOFS: Roof shape, pitch and materials are associated with certain architectural styles and are important character
defining features of historic buildings. However, few historic buildings retain their historic roof materials. Changes in
fire codes, and prohibitive costs and unavailability of certain historic materials have resulted in replacement of original
roof materials. Wood shingle roofs have largely been replaced with composition shingle materials. Most slate roofs,
which were never in widespread use, also have been replaced with composition shingle or metal roofing. Tile roofs
are most common on Spanish Colonial Revival and Mission Revival style buildings, but also were used on Prairie,
Beaux-Arts and Classical Revival style buildings. A rolled roofing material historically sold under the name Malthoid,
was widely used on high-style Craftsman dwellings. Availability of this material is limited and expensive to install.
Metal plate roofing was popular in the 19th century and may survive on some roofs in Palestine. Most roofs in
Palestine are now composition shingle, asphalt shingle, wood or slate. As roofs are repaired or replaced,
composition shingles will most likely be the choice to replace wood, stone or metal materials.
Chimneys built of brick or stone are another important feature of historic buildings and are most visible at the
roofline. The materials and detailing of original chimneys help define the character and style of historic buildings.
They should be repaired and maintained whenever possible and not resurfaced with materials not historically
present.
Dormer windows also define some roofs of historic buildings and are important features of historic buildings.
They should be repaired and maintained whenever possible. Other roof features on Palestine dwellings include
cresting, finials and other decorative elements made of metal or wood. Cresting is usually a metal fence-like
structure placed at the top of the roof of a Queen Anne or other Victorian era house.
Finials and other features are sometimes present at the crossing of gables or eaves on tile roofs.
Roof form and pitch, chimneys, dormers and other roof detailing should be preserved and repaired whenever
possible. When this is not possible, historically appropriate examples of these elements will be compatible with the
type originally in place at a specific dwelling. A historic photograph that shows the building prior to 1950 can provide
information on the nature of these features in the historic period. Owners
53
1. Cresting and decorative chimneys
2. Dormer windows
should consider recreating known features identified from a photograph. Alternatives to recreating known elements
include a simpler version made from the same type materials. If historic photographs are not available or they do not
show these elements, a property owner should consult A Field Guide to American Houses, or another ar<;hitectural
identification book, to determine appropriate roof, chimney and dormer types compatible in materials, size, shape and
function with the style and age of a particular building. More information on creating historically compatible
components for individual historic properties and those within historic districts is found below in the section on roofs in
Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties.
Recommended: Repair and maintenance of original roofing materials and maintaining the roof structure in good
condition are vital to survival of historic buildings. Original roof form should be maintained; changes such as raising,
altering the slope or pitch, or constructing new living space atop the original roof are not recommended as these
actions diminish the historic character of a building and destroy important character defining features associated with
specific architectural styles and plan types. Surviving original roof materials that remain structurally sound should be
maintained when local building and fire codes permit. When original roofing material has been replaced within the
last 50 years with asphalt or composition shingles this type of material should be maintained. Replacement should
be with low profile materials of a similar type and of a color similar to the roof being replaced. Metal standing seam or
other metal roofs not originally present on historic buildings should not be used. When installed within the last 50
years, non-original metal roofs should be replaced with composition shingles or other historically appropriate
materials when re-roofing is necessary. Matching the type of roof materials with the style and function of the building
is recommended. For example, a slate roof would not be historically appropriate for a small shed or barn, but would
be compatible with a high-style dwelling known to have originally had a slate roof.
Chimneys should be repaired in kind with brick, stone or stucco. Mortar should be dyed to match existing,
and brick or stone should closely match the original. Stucco chimneys should be resurfaced as needed with smooth,
non-textured stucco and either dyed prior to application or painted a color that is compatible with the building. New
chimneys should be compatible with the original chimneys, or if none were present historically, designed to be
compatible, but not mimic historic chimney designs associated with the architectural style of the building.
Dormer windows also should be repaired and maintained. The size, shape, roof pitch and materials of the
dormer as well as the window, its pane pattern and materials should all be regarded as important historic features of
a building. New dormers should be placed on facades not visible from the street and should be compatible in
materials, scale, design and window arrangement with the historic dormers, but should not copy the original dormers.
Not Recommended: Roofing materials with a sculptured (.dimensional.) profile such as synthetic shingling and
colors not historically present are not recommended. Likewise, standing seam metal roofs are not recommended for
historic buildings unless they were originally present. Synthetic and imitation roof materials may be appropriate to
certain buildings, although these are generally expensive. Brick, stone or stuccoed chimneys should not be replaced
54
with metal lined wood chimneys because these detract from the historic character of a building and a district as a
whole. Removal of dormer windows, alteration to exterior materials or windows within a dormer are not
recommended, nor is the placement of new dormers where they can be seen from the street.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Good quality roofing material will extend the life of the roof. Roofing problems can
arise due to deterioration of exterior materials or from decay of the decking (underlayment), rafters or beams.
Roofing that is compatible with the style of the dwelling is a must, but equally important is matching the weight of the
material used to the structural capacity of the roof. Roof rise, or pitch, also is important and some roofing types are
not good choices for flat or shallowly pitched roofs because water will not be shed as needed. A roof that rises three
inches in every 12 inches has a rise of 3 in 12. This is a fairly shallow roof pitch. A rise of five or six inches in every
12 inches is quite steep, and will create a tall, steeply pitched roof.
Slate and Tile Roofs: Slate and tile roofs are the most difficult and expensive to repair or replace, and in Palestine
are rare. Good quality materials are necessary to ensure a long lasting, leak-proof result. Slate comes in colors and
the individual pieces are attached with metal nails to hooked into wood nailers. When a match cannot be made,
original materials can be consolidated and used on portions of the roof most visible, and newer replacement slate
placed in less visible areas. This avoids a patchy effect resulting from mixing old and new materials. Hot or cold tar
should not be used to make temporary repairs as it will permanently damage slate and create unsightly black areas.
Repairs or replacement of slate roofs should be undertaken by experienced professional roofers who can document
similar successful jobs. Such roofers can assist in locating matching colors and textures as well as with installation.
Slate roofs should not be stood on, due to high probability of breakage. A scaffold should be erected for all work on
slate roofs. Substitute materials that mimic slate also are available including asphalt and concrete. If selected as a
replacement, such materials should closely match the original slate color, profile and textural qualities and be
installed with care to match the original pattern in which the slate was laid down.
As with slate, repairs to tile roofs should match color, profile and texture. Once again, a scaffold should be
used as tile breaks easily. Hot or cold tar should not be used to make temporary repairs as it will permanently
damage tiles and create unsightly black areas. Many tile types are used for roofing, from unglazed red terra cotta to
glazed green, blue and brown types. To determine the profile of tile on any given roof, see A Field Guide to
American Houses (McAlester). This volume provides drawings of many tile types. With this information, an owner
can more knowledgeably approach repairs or replacement. A qualified roofer, experienced in laying roof tiles should
be used. When tile roofing is not repairable, substitute tile can be used although most do not really look much like
historic roofing tiles; metal.tile. materials do not save much cost and are of inferior aesthetics and so are not advised
as a replacement material for clay tile.
Metal Roofs: A variety of metal roofing materials were used historically, including copper, terne-plated (an alloy of
tin and lead on steel, creating in long, patterned sheets), tin-plated, and baked enamel. These types of roof will be
rare in Palestine, but when they do occur, repairs should be made by roofers with experience in repairing historic
metal roofs. These types of roofs were usually durable and found on more expensive buildings. Other metal types
also may be present, including zinc-plated (galvanized), standing seam, flat seam (also called batten or ribbed), vcrimp, corrugated and plain sheet metal. Once again, A Field Guide to American Houses (McAlester) provides
drawings of various metal seam roof types. This kind of roofing is most often associated with modest dwellings and
outbuildings. As with slate and clay tile, hot or cold tar repairs are not recommended, nor are temporary patches,
since these can mar the appearance of the roof. Dwellings that originally had wood roofs or composition shingle
roofs should not be re-roofed with metal as this material is not historically accurate or compatible with the look of
either wood or composition shingling.
Composition Roofing: Composition shingling is made of asphalt or other materials reinforced with a natural or
man-made fiber. A base of rolled roofing, (either tar paper or roofing felt) should be used as underlayment between
the plywood decking and the new shingling materials. A professional roofer can provide more information, or
homeowners can undertake this type of roof job themselves using a good roofing reference book. Fasteners are
important to the integrity of the roof; staples are not the best choice as they easily loosen in high wind.
55
Flashing: Edges of the roof. where it meets the wood, brick or stone of the dwelling walls, should be flashed with
copper, terne-coated or galvanized metal to prevent water seepage. Other roof areas also should be flashed,
including valleys between roof gables, junctions with dormers and around chimneys. Flashing must be continuous
because gaps or seams that are not soldered against moisture will allow water penetration.
WINDOWS: Windows are another important character defining feature of historic buildings. Their placement, size,
shape, function, detailing and structure are associated with different architectural styles, building traditions and
periods in history. Original windows should be preserved and repaired whenever possible. When this is not possible
or desirable due to environmental conditions or unavailability of historic materials, historically compatible alternatives
should be used. Windows that are historically appropriate will be compatible with the type originally in place at a
specific dwelling. Most window types used in historic buildings in Palestine are double hung wood sash; some
dwellings have single hung wood sash or triple hung wood sash types. Other widely used window types are wood or
metal casement, and fixed pane wood or metal windows. A historic photograph that shows the building prior to 1950
can provide information on window size, shape, pane pattern, frames, sashes, muntins. sills, glazing decorated
heads, hood molds, jambs, moldings and shutters used in the historic period. Owners should consider recreating a
known window type identified from a photograph. Alternatives to recreating a known window type include a simpler
version made from the same type materials with the same pane pattern. If historic photographs are not available or
they do not show the windows, a property owner should install window types compatible in materials, size, shape and
function with the style and age of the building. Specific guidelines for creating historically compatible windows for
individual historic properties and those within historic districts are found below in the section on windows in Chapter
VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. Awnings are. sometimes used on historic dwellings, most often Spanish
Colonial Revival style designs. Non-historic metal and synthetic awnings also are seen on dwellings.
Recommended: Protecting and maintaining the wood and metals that comprise the frame, sash, muntins and
surrounds of windows in historic buildings. Original glazing also should be protected and maintained. Repair and
caulk windows to ensure working order. Replace working parts that cannot be repaired with appropriate new parts.
Replicate an entire window only when an original window is deteriorated beyond repair. Such replication should use
the same materials and the window should be fabricated to match the deteriorated example. Storm windows should
be of the same type (double hung sash, for instance), use the same pane pattern and glazing sizes and be of
materials that do not obscure the appearance of original windows. Retain historic cloth awnings on Spanish Colonial
Revival buildings, or replace them with in kind types based on historic photographs. Remove non-historic awnings
that obscure character defining window features. Where shading of windows is desired for energy conservation or
other environmental conditions, consider planting deciduous shade trees and shrubs in place of awnings to screen
windows in summer and allow in light during the winter.
Left: Incorrect storm window treatment for 6/6 double hung wood sash window showing horizontal bars with
placement offset from mullions. Right: Correct mullion placement.
56
Not Recommended: Removal of original windows
Incompatible treatment: Original window size
and replacement with aluminum, vinyl, synthetic or
filled in with wood and new, small window
other window types and materials is not
installed.
recommended.
Changing the window function
(double hung sash to casement for example). or pane
pattern also is not recommended. Installing smoked,
black, tinted or metallic glazing is not recommended.
Changing the size of the window opening to
accommodate a different size window is also not
recommended. Such changes alter the historic
appearance of a building, remove important character
defining elements and replace them with materials
and forms not present in the historic period. This
detracts from the historic character of a building and
diminishes its historic value. Installation of awnings on
historic dwellings and non-historic buildings in
residential districts that did not originally have them.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Windows can often be fixed, even when they no longer function.
Wood WindOWS: Double hung wood sash windows can be carefully removed from the casement and taken apart to
ftx broken cords and weights, damaged wood or broken glass. Use a putty knife and a hammer to remove the
molding around the window and allow the window to be taken out. It can then be repaired or sanded and painted.
The sash ropes can be replaced with metal cord or chain and the window re-installed. New glazing can be installed
when individual panes are broken or missing. While the window is out of its opening. the sash channels can be
sanded, cleaned and waxed for easier window operation. Wood casement windows can be removed from their
hinges and repaired and repainted. When windows must be replaced, new windows should function the same way
the originals did (double hung sash for example), and they should be of the same size, pane pattern and materials.
Window openings should not be altered, and smaller windows should not be placed in a larger opening with the
remaining space boarded up. Sometimes it is possible to replace just a portion of the windows-such as the moving
sashes, leaving the surrounds. Or, conversely, the sashes can be retained and the surrounds replaced. Vinyl,
aluminum or other synthetic window types should not be used to replace wood windows. Likewise, windows with
dimensional muntins should not be replaced with types that have flat muntins sandwiched betwefm two layers of
glass. Windows can be repaired, rebuilt or new ones constructed by a skilled carpenter or custom shop, or
replacements can be ordered from specialty manufacturers. It is usually less expensive to repair wooo windows than
to replace them outright.
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57
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Metal Windows: Metal windows are more difficult to fix, especially if they have cracked or broken metal sections or
if they leak air and moisture. Sandblasting can remove rust, and with a coat of rust-retardant paint and new glass,
they can look as good as new. If some of the metal is deteriorated, it can be repaired with epoxy, resin or welding.
Care to retain the original shape and texture of the metal framing is important when repairing metal. windows. If
repair is not possible, replace in kind with metal or wood windows with similar pane patterns. When windows must be
replaced, new windows should function the same way the originals did, and they should be of the same size, pane
pattern and materials. Window openings should not be altered, and smaller windows should not be placed in a larger
opening with the remaining space enclosed.
Shutters: Shutters were used in Palestine on many houses, and on some non-residential buildings, most often those
in the Colonial Revival or Greek Revival styles. Where shutters were an original feature, they should be maintained
and repaired. Shutters should not be added to dwellings that did not historically have shutters. Replacement
shutters should match the original shutters, either from a surviving example or a historic photograph. In the 19th
century shutters were functional shades that keep out heat and rain, they completely covered the window when in
use. Shutters that are too narrow to cover a window should not be used, unless this was the original type used
(sometimes seen em Ranch style houses). Shutters should be hung on hinges, not nailed to the building. Revival
style houses often used non-functional shutters that are too narrow to completely cover the window. To clean
shutters for repainting, remove them from their hinges, and apply a chemical solvent by dunking or spraying so that
the solution will drip into all areas and dissolve the paint, but not damage the wood or metal. Follow the
manufacturer.os directions, and use such materials only in a well ventilated place. Metal shutters in good condition
can be sandblasted.
ENTRANCES AND PORCHES: Entrances and porches are important for their location, materials and detailing. Roof
form, arrangement, and the placement of posts and stairs are primary features of porches. The design of posts,
balustrades and railings decorative millwork, ceiling and deck materials also are important elements. Porches lead to
entries: front and back doors and terrace doors. Doors are defined as are windows, not only by their placement, size,
shape and function but by their materials, presence or absence of glazing and decorative elements. Original porches
and entries should be preserved and repaired whenever possible. When this is not possible or desirable due to
environmental conditions or unavailability of historic materials, historically compatible alternatives should be used.
Porches and entries that are historically appropriate will be compatible with the type originally in place at a specific
building. Many dwellings have attached porches with shed roofs, others have porches nestled underneath the
primary roof of the building. These are called integral porches. Posts range from square to round and plain to
decorated. Ceilings of most porches are made of narrow wood planking, while decking and stairs are wood planking
or poured in place concrete. Some porches wrap around two sides of the dwelling, others are placed in the center of
the primary facade and still others are located to one side or the other of the front door. Original front doors are of
wood, some with fixed pane windows and others without windows. Most original wood doors are solid core types,
often milled to include decorative panels, or carved designs. Some doors are set in large double wide openings
surrounded by small panes of glass. Others have simple flat board molding. A historic photograph that shows the
building prior to 1950 can provide information on porch and entry size, shape, design and detailing used in the
historic period. Owners should consider recreating a known porch or entry identified from a photograph. Alternatives
to recreating a known type include a simpler version made from the same type materials. If historic photographs are
not available or they do not show the porches or entries, a property owner should construct porch and entry elements
compatible in materials, size, shape and function with the style and age of the building. Specific guidelines for
creating historically compatible porches and entries for individual historic properties and those within historic districts
are found below in the section on entrances and porches in Chapter VIII. Alterations to Historic Properties. Nonresidential buildings in residential districts also may have porches. These will be similar in design and detailing to
those on residential buildings but their scale may be larger as a result of being placed on a larger building. The same
principles applied to residential entries and porches apply to historic non-residential buildings in residential districts.
58
1. Attached porch type
2. Integral porch type
Recommended: Porches and entnes present In the historic period should be maintained and repaired. Missing
elements should be replicated based on historic photographs or other documentation using the same materials, size,
design and scale as those originally present. Screening of residential porches is a common treatment in Texas and
the American South. When conducted with fine mesh screening stretched between boards of a 1 x 1/4 inch
dimension, screening is historically appropriate and compatible.
Not Recommended: Removing original porches and entries, or changing their size, shape, configuration, materials
or location is not recommended. Enclosure of porches, replacement of or covering of original materials with modem
materials such as T-111 siding, synthetic stone or other non-h istoric, non-traditional materials is not recommended.
Screening of porches using obtrusive materials or replacing original porch posts and decorative elements with
features not originally there are not recommended. Replacing original wood doors with metal doors is also not
recommended. Screening of porches on historic non-residential buildings in residential districts is not recommended.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Porches are one of the most visible areas of a dwelling and their function as a place
to sit and access to entries leads to wear and tear. Porches often have problems with roof leaks, and wood stairs,
decking, columns and railings that deteriorate.
Roof Leaks: Make sure the roof material is sound and that flashing is intact. Repair in kind or replace with materials
compatible in color, texture and profile with the dwellingAS roof. Install extemal gutters and downspouts (see above).
Porch Ceilings: In Palestine, and much of Texas, porch ceilings are made from narrow wood planks that fit together
in a tongue and groove fashion. Usually these boards are one to 1. inch wide. Porch ceilings are typically painted
sky blue to prevent wasps and bees from building nests (they think itAS the sky). Other porch ceiling treatments may
exist. Repairs should be made with in kind materials or consolidation of sound materials relocated to the most visible
areas when matching materials are hard to find.
Brackets, Spindlework, and Other Trim: The decorative trim on a porch is one of the most important elements in a
buildingAS design. These features should be retained, repaired and maintained. Missing elements can be recreated
by a skilled carpenter or by a custom wood shop. Wood should be of the same dimensions as the original and of a
smooth texture. Porch trim should be painted in most cases. In Craftsman buildings porch elements are often left
unpainted (when they are of redwood or cypress) or stained a dark brown.
Porch Flooring and Stairs: Throughout Texas original wood planking used for porch decking has been replaced
59
with concrete. This was often done between 1930 and 1960. Where this is the case, it is probably better to leave the
concrete materials in place as long as they display good craftsmanship and have a smooth texture. Where ori~Jinal
wood decking remains, replacement in kind is the best alternative. Replace only wood that is rotted and soft. Use
replacement wood that is of the same thickness and dimensions. Caulking between boards will help make the
flooring water tight. Add a wood 1I10sing_ strip over the ends of the flooring to protect the board ends from water.
Sand the deck and paint with a good quality exterior deck paint. A sub floor is generally not used and is not
recommended as it can contribute to moisture retention in the humid East Texas climate. Wood stairs can be
repaired in the same manner as porch decking.
Columns, Posts, Plinths, Capitals: Columns and posts provide decorative detailing in addition to structural
support. Many Colonial Revival and Classical Revival style buildings have columns or posts with a square base,
called a plinth. Columns may be smooth or fluted and topped with decorative capitals. Posts may be square, round,
plain, carved or otherwise decorated. Craftsman buildings often have tapered box columns that are wider at their
base than at the top. Whatever is present, it should be repaired in kind whenever possible. Materials should be wood
or plaster as dictated by the original, not synthetic or other man made materials since these almost always are
identifiable as replacements. Plinths raise columns and posts off the floor and help prevent rot, so If they are present,
retain them. If columns are deteriorated, they can be disassembled, repaired and repainted. In case of especially
poor condition, latex molding material available at hobby shops can be used to create a new capital by making a cast
from an existing example in good condition. If columns are smooth, do not substitute fluted or reeded examples, or
vice versa, as this changes the character of the original·design.
Proper spacing of porch balusters shown with
Rails and Balusters: These elements are often
damaged or missing from porches. They can be
side profile
recreated by making a pattern from surviving
elements or using a historic photograph as a guide.
Wood should be milled to the same dimensions and
have a smooth texture. Open grain wood will appear
different when painted and will absorb more moisture
than wood milled for finishing work. Rails and
balusters should be placed in their original location
and follow original dimensions. Do not place the
balusters too far apart, or the historic design of the
porch will be diminished. Vinyl or other man-made
materials are not recommended for repair of historic
porches. A good carpenter, furniture maker or custom
wood shop can create missing elements.
Typical foundation treatment at porch corner
Foundation: Porches sometimes fail
because their foundations sag or sink.
This is usually due to moisture collection
near piers that rots them. It also can be
the result of enclosing the foundation in
an airtight skin. Such skin should be
removed to improve ventilation and
evaporate moisture. Sagging porch
foundations should be repaired in the
same way that the building foundation is
repaired.
Improved drainage (see
:lbove) can also help prevent recurring
problems with porch foundations. See
Chapter VIII for more on foundations.
Entries: The front and rear doors of any building are important character defining features and should be repaired '
and maintained. Doors and their surrounds were typically not painted in V'lctorian architecture, nor were the entry
60
features of Craftsman, Tudor and Spanish Colonial Revival style dwellings. Original unpainted doors should remain
so. Shellac. varnish or stain may be applied to protect the wood. Where doors and their surrounding features are
painted, maintenance is called for. Transom windows above the door, and side lights that flank the door, should be
retained and repaired in kind. Original knockers and bells are important features and these should also be repaired
and maintained. Original doors should not be replaced with hollow core wood or metal doors fabricated to look like
wood. These types are incompatible with historic dwellings.
Where doors include a fixed pane window, this too, should be retained along with original knobs, handles and so
forth. Brass polish can be used to clean original door hardware, although in some cases hardware must be removed
from the door and stripped using one of the products made for this purpose available at building supply and home
improvement outlets.
PAINT COLOR: Exterior paint color is not reviewed by the Historic Landmarks Commission.
Recommended: Although the Commission does not review paint color, the Commission recommends following the
historic paint scheme originally used on the building, or none, if the building is brick or stone. This can be identified
by scraping areas of the exterior wall and trim to find the oldest layer. When such investigations do not yield accurate
information, paint selected for the specific architectural style of the building from a historic color palette prepared by
paint companies will be appropriate. It should be noted that in many cases buildings have been stripped of all old
paint and retain only one or two coats. So if you find only one or two layers of paint on a building built prior to 1940,
its is unlikely that any original paint colors will be present. White is an appropriate historic color for Greek Revival,
Classical Revival and Colonial Revival buildings. Earth tones are appropriate for Craftsman buildings and the trim on
Tudor Revival buildings. Second Empire, Queen Anne, Eastlake and Italianate buildings were usually painted with
muted greens, muted yellows, muted reds or rusts. Many modest wood bungalows built in the 1920s and 1930s
were originally painted white. Paint palettes prepared by paint companies can assist in understanding appropriate
color schemes. By consulting a historic color palette, a paint scheme that is historically appropriate can be selected.
Not Recommended: Exterior colors not historically associated with identifiable architectural styles. Painting exterior
brick or stone walls.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Proper preparation prior to painting will ensure the durability of the paint. Unpainted
surfaces should be cleaned and primed. Heat guns, pads and torches are not recommended because they can
cause fire or damage historic materials. Sandblasting is not recommended. Water blasting at less than 100 psi is
acceptable, but it will introduce considerable moisture so the exterior walls must dry thoroughly prior to painting.
Orbital and belt sanders are not recommended as they can easily gouge wood. Hand sanding or use of vibrating or
pad sanders are preferred methods. Sand only to feather paint layers prior to priming and painting. Masonry should
not be sanded under any circumstances.
BUILDING INTERIOR
Building interiors are important components of historic buildings. Building interiors are divided into two
general categories: space and the relationship of rooms to each other and features and finishes. Because interiors
are private space the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review interior changes. However, it is helpful to
understand the value of interior spatial relationships and features and finishes to the historic character of buildings.
With understanding it is easier for owners and residents to conduct repairs and alterations that protect interior spaces
and features. The publications listed under Technical Assistance in the Bibliography should be consulted for more
detailed information.
INTERIOR SPACES: Interior spaces and the relationship of rooms are important features of historic buildings.
Interior spatial relationships often reflect the exterior arrangement of doors and windows.
Recommended: Whenever possible the interior spaces (rooms) of a historic building and the relationship of the
rooms to each other (floor plan) should be preserved, repaired with like materials in a compatible manner and
61
maintained.
Not Recommended: Removal of interior partition walls to create large open areas that alter understanding of how
the interior space was originally organized.
INTERIOR FEATURES AND FINISHES: Features and finishes include interior room walls, flooring, wall and ceiling
materials, window and door moldings, light fixtures, fireplaces, built-in cabinets, counters and moldings, bathroom
and kitchen fixtures. These elements reveal the relative wealth of the original owners, the skill of the designer and
builder, the architectural style and the availability of certain materials in any given period.
Recommended: Whenever possible the interior features and finishes of a historic building should be preserved,
repaired with like materials in a compatible manner and maintained.
Not Recommended: Removal of interior features and finishes or covering over of them to create a false sense of
history. Repair or maintenance of these elements in a manner that destroys, damages or otherwise obscures their
character defining materials and appearance.
STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS
In most cases structural systems occur inside the walls of a building. They provide the support needed to
keep the building standing. The structural systems of historic properties in Palestine will most often remain intact and
unaltered from their origihal condition. However. when repair or replacement is needed, the basic rehabilitation rule
of repairing with in kind or similar materials applies. While the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review
structural systems, unless they are on the exterior of a building, it is important to be able to identify and understand
the function of each type of structural system in order to conduct appropriate maintenance and repair.
lOADBEARING BRICK OR STONE WALLS: This type of construction was widely used for commercial, industrial,
school and church buildings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Loadbearing brick or stone walls also occur in
dwellings from this same period. Loadbearing walls are usually quite thick, often thicker at the bottom of the wall than
at the top. These walls carry the weight of the roof and interior floors; there is no interior skeleton to carry the weight
as in modern construction. Most brick dwellings in Palestine are brick veneer, a construction method that uses wood
framing with a layer of brick applied as a veneer on the exterior walls. The brick or stone in a veneered building are
not loadbearing. Most historic brick commercial buildings in Palestine use loadbearing brick wall construction. The
publications listed under Technical Assistance in the Bibliography should be consulted for more information.
I,,'
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1. Loadbearing brick wall
CAST IRON COLUMNS: Cast iron
2. Brick veneer applied over wood structural system
columns usually appear as part of commercial buildings and are
62
typically on the exterior front wall, where
they lend structural support and are
decorative elements. Buildings erected
prior to 1910 may use cast iron columns
as an internal skeleton. While this type
of construction is more common in
commercial buildings, it may occur in
residential and other types of buildings.
The publications listed under Technical
Assistance in the Bibliography should be
consulted for more
information.
Palestine.os
Commercial
Design
Guidelines also contain information on
cast iron columns.
ROOF TRUSSES: Roof trusses are made of wood, steel or iron and support the weight of the roof. They are integral
structural components of a building and are often important decorative ones as well. Roof trusses are most
commonly used in commercial and industrial buildings, but may be present in bams, garages and other buildings.
The construction of dwellings includes rafters, which support the roof. These too, are important structural
components that help define the age, style and level of skill of the designer and builder. The publications listed under
Technical Assistance in the Bibliography should be consulted for detailed information.
POSTS, BEAMS AND VIGAS: Posts and beams are another type of structural system that is usually visible on the
exterior of a building or is exposed within buildings. It consists of vertical supports--the posts--topped by a horizontal
beam. Together these elements support openings for doorways, arches, windows and sometimes large open areas
within rooms. This structural system is found in dwellings as part of a post and beam foundation, as well as in the
design of some homes built after 1945. This system also occurs in commercial and other building types. Vigas are
structural wood roof beams used in Pueblo Revival and some Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. A viga is a
round log used to support the roof. It projects through the exterior wall and is a character defining feature of the
styles that utilize it. The publications listed under Technical Assistance in the Bibliography should be consulted for
detailed information.
1. Post and beam system
2. Viga
FOUNDATION WALLS: Foundation walls can be structural or cosmetic. Some foundations utilize a poured concrete
perimeter wall that supports the exterior walls of the building. Interior areas are supported by wood or concrete piers.
This type of concrete foundation wall is structural. Most foundation walls in Palestine.os residential areas are
cosmetic. Pierced with vents to provide air flow and prevent deterioration of wood foundation posts cosmetic
foundation walls enclose a pier and beam foundation at the exterior building walls but do not provide structural
'iUpport. This type of foundation wall can be poured concrete, brick or lath with stucco coating. Overall foundation
ileltjht and height of exterior foundation walls are important character-defining elements of historic buildings and care
'J"!()uld bo taken when repairing foundations and their exterior walls to maintain the foundation height of the historic
!<nsithmtinl Design Guidelines
63
building and utilize construction methods compatible with the historic methods.
1. Perimeter wall foundation
2. Brick pier and wood beam foundation
3. Wood pier and wood beam
Recommended: Protect and maintain a building~ structural system by cleaning roof gutters and downspouts.
replacing roof flashing, keeping masonry, wood, and metal elements in good condition. Ensure that structural
members are insect and pest free. Repair weakened structural systems by upgrading or strengthening individual
parts using in kind or approved substitute materials. Substitute materials should convey the same form, design,
texture, and overall visual appearance as the historic feature and be at least equal to its loadbearing abilities. In
repairing foundations care must be taken to ensure proper placement, height and loadbearing capacities of
replacement piers, beams or perimeter wall repairs.
Not Recommended: Deferring cyclical maintenance so that deterioration sets in. Utilizing destructive methods of
investigating for pest damage or deterioration that damage structural material. Upgrading the structural system in
ways that diminish or remove exterior historic material. Replacing a structural member when it could be repaired and
retained. Installing a replacement feature incompatible in visual appearance, such replacing an exposed wood beam
with a steel beam on the exterior of a building. Using a substitute material that is weaker than the historic material
and is otherwise incompatible. Using a structurally inferior material or method to repair foundations or undertaking
repairs that result in a change in foundation height or building appearance.
Repair and Maintenance Tips: Repairs to foundations and visible exterior structural systems should be in kind and
match original materials in color, texture, dimensions and strength. Repairs made to systems that are not visible on
the exterior should not damage or destroy original materials or structural integrity.
One of the most common problems in Texas dwellings is foundation settling caused by cycles of dry and wet weather
in areas that have clay soils such as Palestine. Wood piers form the majority of foundation supports in historic
residential buildings and these are often set in the earth with no footings. In time such posts deteriorate, settle or
become exposed due to shifting of the earth around them. A dwelling can be jacked up, placed on temporary
supports such as concrete blocks and concrete footings poured under the existing piers by means of a trench.
Sometimes original posts are replaced with poured concrete posts reinforced with steel rebar. When this is done, the
new concrete posts should match the height of the existing foundation and be of at least equal strength. Floor jOists
sometimes need repair or strengthening. This can be done by bolting a parallel wood joist to the weak member.
Pole jacks, metal posts used to help support or replace sagging piers also can be used to stabilize foundations. A
structural engineer will be needed to solve more complex problems. The publications listed under Technical
Assistance in the Bibliography should be consulted for more detailed information on foundations. For information on
foundations in commercial buildings see Palestine~ Commercial Design Guidelines.
64
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Mechanical systems include heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, artificial lighting and other features
that enhance the activities conducted within a historic building. These systems sometimes help define the historic
character of a building and should be retained and repaired. An example would be a dumb-waiter installed in a
historic house, or an early whole-house vacuum system. In a commercial building, passenger and freight elevators
are good examples. Because mechanical systems occur largely within the interior walls of historic buildings the
Historic Landmarks Commission does not review changes to them. However, when they do occur outside the
building or are attached to exterior walls, as in the case of air conditioning compressors and window air conditioning
units, the Commission will review such changes. Regardless of whether elements occur inside or outside, it is helpful
to understand the value of historic mechanical systems to the historic character of buildings. With understanding it is
easier for owners and residents to conduct repairs and alterations that protect historic mechanical systems. The
publications listed under Technical Assistance in the Bibliography should be consulted for more detailed information
on specifics.
HEATING: Heating systems include a furnace, boiler, ducts, vents and pipes needed to heat and distribute warm air
throughout a building.
AIR CONDITIONING: Air conditioning syst~ms include a compressor, ducts, vents and pipes needed to cool and
distribute cooled air throughout a building.
ELECTRICAL: Electrical systems include wiring, ducting, tubing, switches, breakers, fuse boxes and other elements
necessary for the delivery of electrical current within a historic building.
PLUMBING: Plumbing systems include water and sewer pipes and plumbing fixtures such as sinks, toilets, bath
tubs, showers and the like.
Recommended: Whenever possible the mechanical systems of a historic building should be preserved and repaired
with like materials in a compatible manner. Additions to existing elements should be placed in rear or side yards
where they are not visible from the street, and in a manner that does not diminish historic character.
Not Recommended: Removal of mechanical systems that remain viable and are character defining features of a
historic building. Repair or maintenance of these elements in a manner that destroys, damages or otherwise
obscures their character defining materials and appearance. Placing new systems or additions to existing systems
where they are visible from the street or in a manner that diminishes historic character.
HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
When historic buildings are rehabilitated for a new use, it is often necessary to address health and safety
issues in making modifications. Such work should be carefully planned to avoid damaging or removing important
historic character defining features. While the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review health and safety
issues, with the exception of exterior features such as access ramps, the City building department is strongly
encouraged to work with the Palestine Landmarks Commission and the Texas Historical Commission to identify ways
to meet health and safety needs for historic buildings and those within historic districts.
Recommended: Whenever possible code required health and safety requirements should preserve and protect the
character-defining features of historic buildings, and alterations should be conducted in a manner that does not
damage, destroy, remove or obscure those features.
65
Recommended access ramp treatment
Not Recommended: Removal, alteration, destruction, obscurance of character-defining features of historic buildings
to create code required safety and access modifications such as ramps.
ENERGY RETROFITTING
Historic buildings sometimes include design features that have an energy conserving role. Cupolas, shutters,
transoms, Skylights, sun rooms, porches and plantings can assist in cooling or heating a historic building and should
be carefully assessed before undertaking energy retrofitting. If energy conservation is still needed, retrofitting should
be carefully conducted to ensure the protection of the building.os historic character. Where energy retrofitting
measures affect the exterior of historic buildings or the character of historic districts, the Historic Landmarks
Commission will review proposed changes. The publications listed under Technical Assistance in the Bibliography
should be consulted for detailed information.
Recommended: Whenever possible the inherent energy conserving systems of a historic building should be
preserved and repaired with like materials in a compatible manner.
Not Recommended: Removal of the existing, inherent energy conserving systems of a historic building. Repair or
maintenance of these elements in a manner that destroys, damages or otherwise obscures their character defining
materials and appearance.
DESIGN FOR MISSING HISTORIC FEATURES
Historic elements define a historic building, and together historic buildings combine to define the character of
historic districts. When historic features are missing from a historic building, they no longer help define the historic
nature of the building unless they can be accurately recovered in form and detailing by documenting their historic
appearance and placement. For example a porch that has been enclosed with aluminum siding may retain the
original design and decorative features underneath the applied siding. By removing the siding the original character
defining elements can be recovered, repaired and maintained. They then return to their original role in defining the
historic character of the building. However, in some cases only a portion of the original porch may be present. If that
occurs, careful measurement and photography of the surviving elements can be used as a pattern to replicate
missing features using the same materialS and design. When an entire porch is missing, but a historic photograph
survives to show placement, design, detailing and materials a new porch that replicates the original, historic one, can
be built. These are methods of recovering and replicating known historic features. However, many times recovery
and accurate replication cannot be achieved, so the next best course of action is to create a feature that is historically
compatible in terms of design, scale, materials, placement and color, but at the same time be different enough so that
a false historical appearance is not created.
As with historic features associated with buildings, vacant lots within
historic districts pose a design challenge. New construction within historic districts should be compatible in scale,
size, height, materials, massing, and color with historic buildings, but should not copy historic architecture or be of a
design that clashes with historic architecture. Chapter IX. Guidelines for New Construction below discusses
appropriate new construction for historic districts.
66
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF MOVED BUILDINGS
Buildings moved into a historic district or onto the grounds of a historic property should be repaired following
the guidelines in this chapter. All repairs and maintenance should protect and preserve historic materials and
architectural form.
REPAIR OF NON-HISTORIC AND NONCONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES
In general non-historic buildings associated with individually listed historic buildings and Noncontributing
properties in historic districts are governed by the same guidelines that apply to historic buildings and Contributing
properties within historic districts. Repairs should be made keeping in mind the style, massing, scale, detailing, and
materials of the building. Changes made during repair that alter the original design by adding stylistic features or
elements not part of the original building are not recommended. Repairs to Noncontributing buildings in historic
districts or Noncontributing buildings associated with an individually listed historic property will be reviewed in the
same way as a historic building. By so doing, incompatible alterations will hopefully be avoided and owners of
Noncontributing historic buildings will have an opportunity to re-establish historic features that could lead to
reclassification of the property as Contributing. Repairs to non-historic buildings in historic districts and at individually
designated historic properties will be reviewed for compatibility with the original materials and design to help preserve
their character and encourage compatibility with historic buildings.
67
VIII. Guidelines for Alterations to Historic Properties
INTRODUCTION
At times historic dwellings need to be expanded or altered to make room for new activities or more space.
Additions a re permitted as long as they do not detract from the historic character of the building and do not destroy
important character defining features and materials. Additions and alterations are most often made to existing
historic buildings, but sometimes owners of historic properties wish to recreate from historic photographs or original
plans known outbuildings or site features no longer present. In other circumstances owners wish to add walks,
driveways, fencing and landscaping to historic properties not historically present. These additions also are permitted,
provided they do not detract from the original historic buildings or destroy important character defining elements of an
associated property or a historic district as a whole. The following criteria will assist owners and City officials in
creating compatible, appropriate additions for individual historic properties and properties within historic districts. The
Historic Landmarks Commission will not approve additions or alterations that are incompatible with historic design,
materials and other features.
ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS TO CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES
Setbacks: Additions should be set back from the historic portions of the building so that the addition.os wall plane is
not continuous with the historic portion of the building. An addition that extends historic wall planes is not the best
method for designing a new building section. New additions also should conform to existing setbacks of the building
on its lot and additions should not project into front or side setback areas.
Orientation: Additions should be oriented so that the historic entry retains its primacy and integrity. Additions should
enhance the historic building not distract or detract from its original design.
Scale: Additions should respect the historic scale of the building and not overwhelm it or change understanding of
the original footprint and plan of the historic building. Additions should be visually compatible with the historic
building and not obscure or overpower it.
Height and Massing: Additions ideally should be designed to a lesser height than the historic portion of the building
and should reference its historic massing. Addition foundations, however, should be of equal height to the historic
portion of the building and utilize similar construction methods.
Roof Shape: Additions should utilize roof shape and pitch that is similar, if not exact, in form to the historic portions
of a dwelling.
Location: Additions almost always should be placed at the rear of the historic building. Additions to the side of a
dwelling should be set well back from the plane of the primary facade so as to minimize its visibility from the public
right-of-way.
Details: Details should inspire compatible design, but should not be copied because exact copies suggest that the
addition and its detailing was present in the historic period, which is inaccurate.
Materials: Non-traditional materials are not appropriate for use in additions in historic Palestine neighborhoods.
These include artificial stucco, concrete block and any number of synthetic wood and synthetic masonry products.
Windows and Doors: Design of windows and doors used in additions should be of the same type (wood, metal) as
the historic building, but slightly differentiated, and should be aligned with the sills and heights of the historic windows
and doors. Careful assessment of the interaction of window and door openings within wall surfaces will be needed to
68
design compatible examples in an addition. Histmlcally windows and doors were relatively small in proportion to the
wall surface area, and large picture windows and sliding glass doors were not present in historic Palestine
neighborhoods.
Style: Additions should be compatible with historic styles present but should not mimic, or exactly copy, any given
historic style associated with a dwelling. Conformance to guidelines immediately above and those for bay divisions in
Chapter VII should result in designs that are compatible with ex'lsting historic dwellings and residential districts as a
whole.
Site Features: Additions should be designed to retain historic site features such as outbuildings, landscaping,
fencing and walls, driveways and walks because these elements all contribute to understanding of the historic
property and to the historic district as a whole.
Reversibility: Additions should be designed with the idea of reversibility in mind. Additions should be added in ways
that permit removal without damage or loss of historic fabric. Existing door and window openings should be
preserved, historic siding and wall material left intact inside new walls and on the exterior of the historic portion of the
dwelling, and new sills and door and window surrounds within historic sections of the dwelling attached in a manner
that will allow removal.
Example of a successful one-story addition that utilizes the guiding principles discussed above.
BUILDING SITE
Features of a specific parcel of land or lot are part of the setting of a historic property and of historic districts
and should be protected and preserved. Site features are fragile and can be lost ordamaged when alterations are
made to historic buildings or to the land surrounding it. The following criteria will assist owners and City officials in
reconstructing known historic site features or creating new features based on historic models that are compatible with
existing historic properties and the character of historic districts. For additional assistance, pattern books published
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries also can be consulted for compatible design ideas. See the Bibliography for
a selection of pattern book titles.
FENCING AND WALLS: Historically, fencing in Palestine included wood, iron, brick and a mix of wood and metal
mesh. Wood picket fences were perhaps most common until about 1930. Highly decorative, and expensive, cast or
wrought iron fencing at the property lines of large Victorian era mansions was also used prior to 1900. Brick or native
,>tone walls were also present at some properties. Fences built of wood or metal posts and rectangular metal mesh
(sometimes called hog wire) were common until the 1940s at the rear and side property lines of modest dwellings.
69
Solid plank fences, also called privacy fencinq. wore built in the 1930s and thereafter and were usually associated
with Minimal Traditional and Ranch style dwellinqs. Split rail fencing is often used with Ranch and Colonial Revival
style dwelli ngs of the 1935-1960 period. If original fencinq no longer exists historically compatible replacements can
be built. Fencing that is historically appropriate Will be compatible with the type originally in place at a specific
dwelling. A historic photograph that shows the bUilding prior to 1950 can provide information on fencing used in the
historic period. Owners should consider recreatinq a known wood fence pattern identified from a photograph.
Alternatives to
Compatible new fencing should be modeled on the above historic types, as appropriate for the age and style
of the dwelling.
recreating a known fence include a simpler version made from the same type materials. If historic photographs are
not available or they do not show fencing, a property owner should install fencing compatible in materials and form
with the style and age of the building. Fencing at the front property line should be placed at the sidewalk and be no
taller than three feet; historically appropriate fencing at side and rear property lines will vary in height according to the
type of fence. Height limits for fencing are based on historic patterns and standard building codes. Location of
fencing at the front property line is a historic trend that should be maintained for individually designated historic
properties and properties within historic districts.
Recommended: Fencing, gates, arbors and trellises
that are deteriorated, broken, or miSSing sections
should be repaired using in-kind materials whenev(jr
possible. Missing elements should be replicated
based on accurate copying of existing features, such
as wood picket or post designs. When repair and
replication are not possible, new fencing of a
historically compatible design may be substituted. All
fencing should be of wood, brick, native stone, cast or
wrought iron; plastered walls
Fencing heights should be as shown below
rn
should have smooth stucco coating. Picket and wood plank fencing and plastered walls (but not the coping) may be
painted or stained a color compatible with the associated dwelling. Other types of fencing and walls should not be
painted. When extant fencing and walls are repaired, maximum heights are governed by the existing fence or wall
being repaired. When dwellings are sited on a corner lot, fencing for the side property line facing the secondary
street shall be of the type and height specified for the front of the property.
Not Recommended: Synthetic or man-made materials that mimic wood, brick or native stone are not recommended
for use in conjunction with historic properties and historic districts. Welded steel fencing, sheet metal fencing and
hurricane fencing also are not recommended because they do not contribute to the historic character of historic
properties and districts. Unplastered concrete block, adobe brick, poured concrete walls or walls made of other
materials are not historically compatible with PalestineAS residential historic neighborhoods. Sandblasting brick to
remove paint is not recommended as it destroys the hard outer finish that naturally occurs on fired brick, allowing
water absorption that eventually leads to deterioration of the brick.
Wood Picket Fences: Buildings built between 1845 and 1940. Wood picket fencing placed at the front property
line should be adjacent to the sidewalk and no higher than three feet; along side and rear property lines such fencing
should be placed at the property lines and be no taller than four feet.
Cast or Wrought Iron Fences: Large, architecturally detailed Victorian-era residences built between 1865 and 1900.
Iron fencing placed at the front property line should be adjacent to the sidewalk and no higher than three feet; along'
side and rear property lines such fencing should be placed at the property lines and be no taller than four feet.
Brick Walls: Colonial Revival, Classical Revival Craftsman and Prairie style dwellings of any age. Brick walls used
at the front property line should be no taller than three feet and should be placed at the property line. Brick walls at
side property lines in the front setback should be no taller than four feet. Brick walls may also be used at side and
rear property lines to a height of six feet when installed two feet behind the front facade wall at a point parallel with it.
Mortar should not be bright white; see information on repointing masonry in Chapter VII.
Stone Walls: Brick or stone dwellings built between 1870 and 1935. Native stone walls made from
locally available iron stone placed at the front property line should be no taller than three feet and should be placed at
the property line. Native stone walls at side property lines within the front setback should be no taller than four feet.
Native stone walls may also be used at side and rear property lines to a height of six feet when installed two feet
behind the front facade wall at a point parallel with it. Mortar should not be bright white; see information on repointing
masonry in Chapter VII.
Plastered Walls: Spanish Colonial Revival and other Spanish influenced dwellings built between 1915 and 1940.
Such walls may be built to a height of three feet at the front property line. Plastered walls constructed at side
property lines within the front setback should be no taller than four feet. Plastered walls may also be used at side and
rear property lines to a height of six feet when installed two feet behind the front facade wall at a point parallel with it.
Walls may be constructed of adobe brick, concrete block, poured concrete or other structural materials provided they
are plastered with stucco and finished to a smooth surface. Brick, natural stone, or tile coping at the top of the wall
may be used when it reflects architectural detailing present on the associated dwelling. More detailed technical
assistance is available from the publications listed in the Technical Assistance section of the Bibliography.
Wood Posts with Hog Wire Mesh: Buildings built between 1845 and 1940. Wood post and hog wire mesh fencing
should not be placed at the front property line. When used in the front setback at the side property lines such fencing
should be no taller than four feet. Wood post and hog wire mesh fencing may also be used at side and rear property
lines to a height of six feet when installed two feet behind the front facade wall at a point parallel with it.
Solid Wood Plank Fencing: Minimal Traditional and Ranch style dwellings built between 1935 and 1960 for side
and rear property lines only. No fencing of any type should be used at the front property line. Solid wood plank
fencing may also be used for residences of other ages and styles at side and rear property lines to a height of six feet
71
when installed two feet behind the front facade wall at a point parallel with it. The planks in this type of fencing are
laid vertically, side by side with no gaps. Basketweave fencing and types with alternating board widths or alternating
recessed boards are not appropriate historic types.
Split Rail Fencing: Colonial Revival and Ranch style dwellings built between 1935 and 1960 for front and side
property lines only to a height of three feet.
Hedges: Living fences such as hedges of boxwood, nandina, privet, azaleas, japonica (flowering quince) are all
historically appropriate alternatives to wood or iron fencing and brick or stone walls. When placed at the front property
line, such a hedge should be no taller than four feet. When used in the front setback at the side property lines such
fencing should be no taller than six feet. Hedges may also be used at side and rear property lines to a height of six
feet when installed two feet behind the front facade wall at a point parallel with it.
Gates: Gates are a feature of fencing and historically
Queen Anne style wood gate and fencing
were plain, fancy or in between depending on the size
of the historic building and the type and amount of
detailing present. Gates were constructed of wood,
iron or wood and wire mesh. Replacement gates
should be constructed on a known historic example,
or when documentation is unavailable. historic gate
types used in a historic district can serve as a model
for building a compatible new design.
Arbors and Trellises: These elements were used historically in gardens and owners may wish to install new
examples based on historic designs. Arbors and trellises in Palestine were usually made of wood, almost always
painted white. Occasionally these features may be of cast or wrought iron, cast concrete, or cast stone, which is a
mix of concrete and pulverized stone. Unpainted examples may be associated with Craftsman, Prairie or Tudor
Revival style dwellings. When unpainted these features are usually stained or shellacked.
Historically compatible design for trellis or arbor
WAlKWA YS AND DRIVEWAYS: HistOrically walkways in Palestine were native stone, poured or cast concrete.
!trick. qr;w.,1. earth or grass. When original walks or driveways are no longer present, historically compatible
Jlfprn; ltivns can be constructed. A historic photograph that shows the building and grounds prior to 1950 can provide
Hltorrnntlon on walkwavs used in the historic period. Owners should consider recreating a known walkway identified
110m <l photoqraph. Alternatives to recreating a known walkway include a simpler version made from the same type
Ill.llen; lis. If historic photographs are not available or they do not show walkways, a property owner should install
'N;llks compatible in materials and form with the style and age of the building.
While driveways are most often thought of as 20th century inventions made necessary by the automobile,
f lnvtlways have been a feature of historic properties as long as there have been horses, wagons and carriages. The
":lrl!ost driveways were earth, grass or gravel. Stone and brick also was used prior to the advent of the private
. HltOlTloblle. Poured or cast concrete is a more recent invention. All of these driveway types are present in Palestine,
'iIIlth cast concrete the most commonly used type.
/\5 With walkways historically compatible alternatives can be created when historic driveways are not present. A
72
historic photograph that shows the building and grounds prior to 1950 can provide information on driveways used in
the historic period. Owners should consider recreating a known driveway identified from a photograph. Alternatives
to recreating a known driveway include a simpler version made from the same type materials. If historic photographs
are not available or they do not show a driveway, a property owner should install a drive compatible in materials and
form with the style and age of the building.
Recommended: Walks and driveways should be concrete, brick, stone, crushed rock or gravel, or grass. Concrete
should not be painted or stained and rock should be locally occurring iron stone. The type of walk or driveway
material used, and its design should be historically compatible with the associated dwelling and the neighborhood as
a whole.
Not Recommended: Synthetic or non traditional materials such as asphalt, broken tile set in concrete, poured
concrete laid in a continuous ribbon without dividing seams rusticated (rough) concrete blocks, rounded concrete
paving stones or riprap are not recommended because they were not used during the historic period and they detract
from the historic character of a property and a district as a whole.
Gravel: Appropriate for buildings built between 1845 and 1920. Gravel should be small, crushed rock such as
granite or other hard stone to ensure durability and to minimize dust and erosion.
Brick: Buildings built between 1870 and 1960. Red brick or another color that closely approximates the brick used
on the associated dwelling should be used. Brick can be laid in a sand, crushed stone or gravel base, or in concrete
and pointed with mortar. However, mortar requires upkeep and care must be taken to match the mortar color when
repairs are made. Appropriate patterns include running bond (all architectural styles), herringbone (Tudor Revival)
and basket weave (all styles except Queen Anne, Art Deco, Spanish Colonial Revival, Mission Revival, Minimal
Traditional and Ranch).
Stone: Appropriate for brick or stone buildings built between 1870 and 1920. Locally available native stone (iron
stone) is the best choice for stone walks or driveways. As with brick, stone walks or driveways may be laid in sand,
gravel or crushed rock or in concrete with mortar.
Grass/earth: Buildings built between 1870 and 1960. Grass walks require little maintenance and are the least
expensive to install. Grass or earth driveways are not recommended because of dust, mud and erosion problems
caused by the weight of a vehicle.
Cast or Poured Concrete: Buildings constructed between 1910 and 1960. Cast concrete blocks and poured
concrete were used in the early 20th century and are appropriate for all styles of buildings in Palestine, except those
constructed in the 19th century. Cast concrete pavers can be laid in a concrete base or placed on crushed rock,
gravel or sand. Poured concrete walkways and driveways should be made within a wood form and divided into
segments via wood barriers to replicate historic paving techniques. The wood forms are removed after the concrete
has cured. A combination poured concrete/grass driveway is a typical form associated with bungalows from the
1920s and 1930s. Two ribbons of segmented concrete are poured for the wheels, and the space between the
concrete bands is planted with grass or other plant material.
73
Historically compatible concrete driveway poured in sections
Concrete ribbon and plants
OUTBUILDINGS: In most cases outbuildings were modest buildings constructed of wood and small in scale.
Sometimes, however, garages and garage apartments, carriage houses and servants quarters were bUIlt of brick and
detailed in a manner similar to the primary dwelling. When historic era outbuildings have been incompatibly altered,
when they do not survive or when additions or replacements are needed historically compatible design and materials
should be used. Outbuildings that are historically appropriate will be compatible with the type originally in place at a
specific location. A historic photograph that shows the building and grounds prior to 1950 can provide information on
the presence and appearance of outbuildings in the historic period. Owners should use historic photos as guides to
returning outbuildings to a more historic appearance. When photographs are not available or do not show surviving
outbuildings, similar examples in the area can be used as a model for rehab work. Prefabricated buildings,
temporary buildings and those with barn style roofs, siding and doors are not recommended in historic
neighborhoods.
Recommended: Outbuildings, in most cases, shoUld be wood and should be one story in height with gabled or shed
roofs. Barns and sheds may be constructed of sheet metal when historic photographs document the presence of
such buildings on the property or in the historic district. However, such buildings whether of wood, sheet metal, or
another material, should be carefully designed to be compatible with the scale, materials, and form of the primary
building on the site. In some cases an outbuilding constructed to two stories may be appropriate, such as a garage
apartment. However, outbuildings should be no taller than approximately 2/3 the height of the associated primary
building and in most cases should be. the height.
Outbuildings should not be placed in the front or side
Historically compatible carport designs
setback areas or in the front yard of any dwelling
since outbuildings were historically placed at the rear
of the property. Carports should complement the
primary building and blend with any other outbuildings
on the property; they should not be placed in the front
yard, or front or side setback areas. The type of
outbuilding and material used, and its design, should
Ii:1
be historically compatible with the associated dwelling
and the neighborhood as a whole. All outbuildings
must be attached to a permanent foundation. The
li\
design for smaller outbuildings such as sheds can be
1\
modified from a basic garage design. Shelters for
garbage containers and bins can also be constructed
using a basic garage or shed design by reducing the
height and dimensions and applying a shed or gabled
roof that references the roof of the associated
dwelling.
~
~"~J'
I
"
74
Not Recommended: Outbuildings sheathed with metal, except as noted above, or any synthetic material are not
recommended, nor are prefabricated outbUildinqs and carports since these detract from the historic character of a
property and a district as a whole. Plywood is not recommended as a wall or door material for outbuildings in historic
districts or for those associated with individually desIgnated historic buildings. Outbuildings that are not permanently
attached to a foundation are not recommended.
Garages: Garages are the most commonly occurring outbuilding in Palestine. Typically one-story in height with
wood siding and a gabled roof, garages may have room for one, two or three cars. Garages associated with historic
dwellings are typically located at the rear of the lot and are often just large enough for one small to medium sized
modem car. These buildings are often in disrepair or have been enlarged or modified in some way. Most alterations
to garages, and to other outbuildings, will be incompatible with the original design. As a result many outbuildings are
Noncontributing features within historic districts or at individually listed properties. Often garages can be returned to
a more historic condition simply by removing Incompatible materials, conducting maintenance and repairs. One of
the most common alterations to garages are the loss of the original garage bay doors. These doors can be replaced
with sliding doors built of narrow vertical boards or with folding doors built in the same manner. These types are
closest to those originally used on historic bUildings. When a historic garage must be replaced, a historic photograph
or drawings made prior to demolition should be used to reconstruct what was previously there. If no photograph or
plans exist, or when a new garage is desired where none previously existed, historically compatible alternatives
should be used. Roof shape and pitch, massing, materials, detailing, foundationJreatment, doors and windows
should fdllow criteria discussed above in this chapter under Basic Development Standards; height should follow
construction recommendations for outbuildings in this section. Garages built in association with historic dwellings
should be located at the rear of the lot because this is the historic pattern in Palestine. Houses built
prior to 1920 often had no garage because private auto ownership and the need for garages did not come into
widespread use until the 1920s. A good choice for new garages built in association with houses constructed before
about 1920 is to use a 1920s garage type as a design model. Houses built in the 1920s,
1930s, 1940s and early 1950s should utilize a garage based on the forms common in those decades.
Typically garages built in any decade between 1920 and 1950 were one-story, wood sided with a side or front gabled
roof. Doors were sliding or swing out types constructed of narrow wood planks. More
Compatible garage for Craftsman style dwelling
Compatible garage for any dwelling
expensive houses sometimes had folding doors with multiple hinges. In some cases historic garages referenced the
exterior materials of its associated dwelling and were finished with stone, brick or stucco walls. Similar surviving
examples in a neighborhood can serve as design models. Standards for garages built in association with new
dwellings are found below in Chapter IX: Guidelines for New Construction.
Sheds: Shed are another common outbuilding, but most historic sheds have been lost to demolition or deterioration.
75
Many of those that survive have been altered with synthetic siding, changes to doors or additions. The best way to
return an altered historic shed to a more historic appearance is to remove incompatible materials and design features
and replace them with materials and elements compatible with the historic materials used on the primary dwelling.
When a historic shed must be replaced, a historic photograph or drawings made prior to demolition should be used to
reconstruct what was previously there. If no photograph or plans exist, or when a new shed is desired where none
previously existed, histOrically compatible alternatives should be used. Roof shape and pitch, massing, materials,
detailing, foundation treatment, doors and windows should follow criteria discussed above in this chapter; height
should follow construction recommendations for outbuildings directly above. Sheds built in association with historic
dwellings should be located at the rear of the lot because this is the historic pattern in Palestine. A good choice for
new sheds is to use an existing historic type located elsewhere in the historic district as a design model, or to scale
down a historically compatible garage design. Typically sheds were small, modest one-story, wood sided buildings
with a side or front gabled roof. Doors were similar to rear doors used on dwellings, or were simple swing out types
constructed of wood planks. Standards for sheds built in association with new dwellings are found below in Chapter
IX: Guidelines for New Construction.
Garage Apartments: A combination of a garage and living space, garage apartments are of two basic forms. One is
a two-story building with a one or two-car garage on the ground floor and living space above. Exterior stairs provide
access to this type of garage apartment. The other type is one-story with garage and living space side-by-side.
Either type occurs at historic properties and in historic districts in Palestine. Roof form and exterior walls of garage
apartments often are similar to those of the primary dwelling. Sometimes, however. a brick or stone dwelling with
have a wood or stucco sided garage apartment at the rear of the lot. Many times garage apartments are considered
Noncontributing elements within historic districts or within individually listed properties. This happens because
incompatible changes were made at a paint after their construction. The incompatible materials and design features
should be removed when possible and replaced with compatible elements. Historic siding is often covered with
vinyl, asbestos or aluminum. This can be
Compatible Garage Apartment
removed and the original materials repaired and
maintained. If historic double hung wood sash
windows have been removed and replaced with
aluminum or vinyl types, double hung sash windows
could be reinstalled. Exterior stairs often are enclosed
or otherwise modified. Known historic examples
surviving in the neighborhood should be used as
models to re-create this missing element.
Incompatible entry doors could be replaced with a
type similar to that used as a back door on the primary
dwelling. Garage bay doors often are missing on
altered garage apartments. Removal of inappropriate
doors and replacement with types suggested under
Garages above are recommended. When a historic
garage apartment must be replaced, a historic
photograph
or drawings made prior to demolition should be used to reconstruct what was previously there. If no photograph or
plans exist. or when a new garage apartment is desired where none previously existed, historically compatible
alternatives should be used. Roof shape and pitch, massing, materials, detailing, foundation treatment, doors and
windows should follow criteria discussed above in this chapter; height should follow construction recommendations
for outbuildings directly above. Garage apartments built in association with historic dwellings should be located at the
rear of the lot because this is the historic pattern in Palestine. Similar surviving examples in a neighborhood can
serve as design models. Standards for garage apartments built in association with new dwellings are found below in
Chapter IX: Guidelines for New Construction.
Guest Houses and Servant. Quarters: Guest houses and servants quarters also are present in Palestine. These
buildings are secondary dwellings. Usually more modest and simpler in construction than the primary dwelling, they
76
nonetheless are important historic features. These buildings also are often classified as Noncontnbutlnq dlJt~ tn
incompatible alterations, and once again these changes typically involve siding, windows and doors anti (1xlfmSHm'J
As with other types of outbuildings, the best way to retum a historic guest house or servant"'6 qUilfters to a Illore
historic appearance is to remove incompatible materials and additions and replace these elements wIth foatuf()S
compatible with the original design, or a similar example in the neighborhood. When altering these butldinqs to
include more living space, attention to scale, materials,
massing, roof form, height and details will support
Guesthouse at rear of property
creation of a compatible addition. When a historic
guest house or servant"'6 quarters must be replaced, a
historic photograph or drawings made prior to
demolition should be used to reconstruct what was
previously there. If no photograph or plans exist, or
when a new building is desired where none previously
existed, historically compatible alternatives should be
used. Roof shape and pitch, massing, materials,
detailing, foundation treatment, doors and windows
should follow criteria discussed above in this chapter;
height should follow construction recommendations
for outbuildings directly above.
Guest houses and servant"'6 quarters built in association with historic dwellings should be located at the rear of the lot
because this is the historic pattern in Palestine. Similar surviving examples in a neighborhood can serve as design
models, or a historically compatible garage apartment design can be adapted for use as a guest house. Standards
for guest houses and servant"'6 quarters built in association with new dwellings are found below in Chapter IX:
Guidelines for New Construction.
Other Outbuildings: Other outbuilding types including barns, carriage houses, well houses, greenhouses and
playhouses also may exist and should continue to be used. When incompatibly altered, removal of incompatible
materials and a return to original or historic materials and design features is appropriate following the standards
discussed above for garages and sheds. Recreation of now lost known historic features can be undertaken from
historic photographs or other documentation of the specific feature to be reconstructed. Or, as with the outbuilding
types discussed above can be constructed using existing examples in the neighborhood or district as a model.
Pattem books published in the late 19th and early 20th centuries also can be consulted for compatible design ideas.
See the Bibliography for a selection of pattern book titles. Standards for new construction are found below in Chapter
IX: Guidelines for New Construction.
SIGNS: Historic freestanding signs are permitted in residential historic districts where dwellings have been converted
to offices or bed and breakfast inns. Construction of new historically compatible signs can be considered both an
alteration to a historic property and new construction. As a result, standards are listed here and in Chapter IX. below.
Historic non-residential buildings in historic districts may have had wall mounted signs. When historic wall mounted
signs survive, these should be repaired and maintained. Such signs may be replaced or replicated using historic
photographs or other documentation. If no documentation is available, simple signs with uncluttered lettering placed
on a wood backing are appropriate. Signs painted directly on brick, stone or wood should not be repaired, repainted
or otherwise altered. Eventually these will fade away, but they can be preserved through photographic
documentation. Advertising signs, banners and flags are not permitted in historic districts.
associated dwelling. Signs should be scaled for the
pedestrian character of the residential district.
Recommended: Freestanding signs should be
Simple. custom designs in a square or rectangular
:;hape afwood and identify the business name only in
painted letters.
Freestanding signs should be
permanently mounted on a simple wood or metal post
or frame and use colors compatible with the
77
Not Recommended: Advertising signs of any siLe are not recommended. Telephone numbers and hours or other
advertising information is not permitted on sl(:}ns in residential historic districts. Masonry signs, signs with reflectors,
auto oriented signs, mass produced signs, internally illuminated signs of any type, temporary signs, moveable signs
and signs made to look lIIhistoric. are not recommended because they detract from the historic character of a property
and a district as a whole.
GARBAGE CONTAINERS: Although not present in the historic period, modem garbage containers and garbage
enclosures not visible from the street. Design of the sheds or enclosures should be gabled or shed roof types sided
with wood compatible with the primary building. One side of the garbage enclosure or shed may be left open, or a
wood hinged, swing outdoor, similar to a garden gate. may be used. Low picket fencing or hedges or trees also may
be used as screening.
1.[1'
:1
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L!
1. Lattice
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2. Picket fence
3. Hedge
LIGHTING: Lighting can be considered
Historically appropriate residential lighting fixtures
both an alteration to a historic property
and new construction.
As a result.
standards are listed here and in Chapter
IX. below. Lighting in residential historic
districts and around historic dwellings
(except for overhead porch lighting) was
not generally present until the 1950s, and
most exterior lighting fixtures are nonhistoric in origin. Exterior lighting and
lighting in yards and gardens can be an
aid to navigation but such lighting also can
be an environmental nuisance when light
invades neighboring properties. Property
owners wishing to install outdoor lighting
should use lighting fixtures mounted on
the insides of gate
posts, or in trees. Wall fixtures near doors are inappropriate for many historic buildings, but can be used when
fixtures are small, are compatible with the style of the building, and the light source (bulb) is shielded so that the light
is directed downward and to the interior of the property. Exterior lighting should not be a beacon within the
neighborhood or cast light on surrounding properties. Wattage in all exterior lighting should be low enough to provide
light, but not to illuminate the entire property or shine onto neighboring properties or into buildings.
Recommended: Lights mounted on the inside of gateposts and on low ballards within yards. Overhead porch lights,
78
and small fixtures compatible in design and materials with the style of the building that are mounted on walls near
doors when the light source is shielded and directed down and to the interior of the property.
Not Recommended: Lighting fixtures incompatible in design and materials with the style of the building. Large light
fixtures on building or in yards, flood lights, reproduction street lights used within residential yards or historic districts,
lights mounted on poles at the property line, unshielded light fixtures, colored lights (except for short-term seasonal,
holiday lighting), high wattage bulbs, high pressure sodium lights and other modern types.
LANDSCAPING: Landscaping can be considered both an alteration to a historic property and new construction. As
a result, standards are listed here and in Chapter IX. below. Landscaping associated with individually listed historic
properties or within designated historic districts consists of many elements. Some of these are historic features and
others more recent introductions. While the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review landscaping it does
encourage historically appropriate landscaping. Owners, residents and City officials should be aware of historic
landscaping elements and are encouraged to retain these features when maintaining existing landscaping or
installing new landscaping. Street trees planted 50 years ago or more, and mature trees located on individual parcels
are historic elements within a district or individual property and should be retained. Large specimen trees such as
magnolias, cedars, oaks, walnuts and pecans should be recognized for their visual and historic value, as should
mature fruit trees and types providing canopies above buildings and streets. Lawns, shrubs and flower beds are part
of current landscaping design, but older garden aesthetics included elements such as knot gardens, naturalistic, or
wild, gardens, formal, manicured gardens and themed gardens using a particular plant type, such as roses or herbs.
Knot gardens were often used for herbs and other small plants in complete geometric or maze designs. Knot
gardens were popular in the late Victorian era and again in association with early to mid-20th century Colonial
Revival gardens. Naturalistic gardens used informal plantings to create a woodland, prairie or semi-desert
environment and were associated with Craftsman, Prairie style, Tudor Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style
dwellings. Formal gardens use clipped boxwood hedges, manicured lawns and topiary to create living architecture.
This type of garden is often associated with Colonial Revival or Classical Revival style dwellings. The folk garden, as
it is sometimes called, also is an important, although rarer type. This garden type uses a variety of shrubs, flowering
plants and trees with bottles, pottery, items of clothing or shoes, whirligigs and handmade sculpture and is sometimes
associated with dwellings in African American neighborhoods. These historic features, where they occur, should be
retained, if at all possible. The section Fences and Walls in Chapter VIII. Guidelines for Alterations to Historic
Properties above contains a list of historically appropriate shrubs that can be used for hedges and other plantings in
historic districts and at historic dwellings.
PARKING LOTS: While parking lots were not a historic feature of residential neighborhoods, the need for automobile
parking in historic residential districts is a reality. Where dwellings have been converted to office, bed and breakfast
or multi-family apartments, street and driveway parking often proves inadequate resulting in parking lots. Despite
the need for parking lots, they can detract from the historic character of a dwelling and a historic district as a whole.
Existing parking lots should be screened to reduce their impact. Parking requirements for non-residential buildings in
historic residential districts may require installation of new lots.
Screened parking lot at rear of residential property
Recommended: New parking lots should be at the
rear of buildings and not visible from the front of a
building. Parking in side or rear yards of dwellings
should be screened by hedges, shrubs, trees or wood
picket or vertical plank fences. Such screening does
not have to completely block views of the
automobiles, but rather to provide a visual and
physical barrier that removes the presence of the
parking area from obvious view.
Not Recommended: Parking lots or areas at the front of buildings or in the front yards of buildings, non-screened
parking areas, and the use of metal fencing or walls as screening are not recommended.
SATELLITE DISHES: Satellite dishes are seen throughout PalestineAS historic neighborhoods, often in front yards or
79
attached to the roof or front of the house or other building. These appliances are not compatible in terms of design,
materials or visual associations with historic properties or historic districts and should not be placed where they can
be seen from the public right-of-way. The City of Palestine governs placement of satellite dishes in Section 22-53 of
the Palestine Building section of the Code of Ordinances and in Ordinance 0-9-90 (Historical Preservation Zoning).
Repair should be with in kind materials. These same rules apply to satellite dishes placed on non-residential
buildings. Television and radio towers are not permitted in historic districts or on designated historic properties in
Palestine.
BUILDING EXTERIOR
Alterations to the exterior of historic buildings generally involve changes in three categories: 1) adding a new
room, wing or extension, 2) enclosing or reconfiguring a porch or other exterior living space or 3) removing, masking
or otherwise obscuring historic materials or design features such as windows, doors and siding. Sometimes
alterations involve all three of these activities. The following criteria and the Basic Development Standards section
above offer ways to enlarge or alter historic buildings while protecting historic materials and features.
WINGS, ROOMS AND EXTENSIONS: Additions to historic dwellings often take the form of new rooms located in
new wings or extensions. Such additions must be carefully designed to be compatible with the historic sections of a
dwelling and with a historic district as a whole. An exact prescription for a compatible addition for each and every
situation cannot be presented in any set of guidelines, but by utilizing recommendations concerning basic design and
construction issues, a compatible addition can result no matter what the style, size, age, or location of the historic
property. Suggestions on ways to approach setbacks, orientation, scale, height and massing, details, roof shape,
location, materials, windows and doors, style, site features and reversibility as discussed in this chapter in the section
Basic Development Standards should be incorporated into designs for compatible additions to historic buildings.
Compatible wing addition to a historic dwelling
pier and beam foundation. Such foundations are
composed of wood or concrete piers of a uniform
height evenly spaced underneath the entire building.
These support horizontal beams to which the flooring
FOUNDATIONS: Foundation height is an important
character-defining element of historic buildings. Most
building foundations in residential districts and at
individually listed historic properties utilize a raised
80
is attached. The beams transfer the weight the
Foundations for additions or replacement of
building.os structure to the foundation piers. In addition
building sections should be built to the same
to number of stories and overall building, height,
height as the foundation of the historic dwelling
foundation height and construction are important
character defining elements of historic buildings. In
designing an addition, the foundation height and
method of construction should be carefully considered
to ensure compatibility with the historic portion of the
building. Concrete slab foundations are not usually
compatible with historic buildings and are not likely to
assist in creating a compatible new design.
ROOFS AND ROOF MODIFICATIONS: One of the most difficult design iss
ble additions to
historic buildings often centers around roof shape, height and modifications. Constraints posed by lot size or
dimensions, and budgets, sometimes lead owners of historic properties to add living space in the attic or on top of a
historic building. While attic conversions can be compatible with historic dwellings, changing the roof shape or pitch
to accommodate new rooms irreversibly alters a historic dwelling and almost always creates an incompatible
addition. When converting attic space to living space, existing dormers should be used to provide air and light. They
should not be enlarged or made smaller, nor should their windows be changed. Any new dormers that are needed to
make an attic usable space should be added to the rear of a building where they cannot be seen from the public
. right-of-way. Different dormer shapes can be used, but the most compatible new dormers will result from using a
dormer roof design that mimics the shape of the larger roof; certain architectural styles use certain dormer types and
this should also be considered in designing new dormer windows. When dormers must be placed on the front of a
building and there were none historically present, new dormers should reference types used on other buildings of the
same period and style. A Field Guide to American Houses includes a number of dormer shapes keyed to specific
styles. Skylights can be used on rear roof surfaces where they will not be seen from the front of the building. Such
additions should be flat and not project much above the roof. Bubble skylights with plastic glazing are incompatible
choices.
In some cases owners want to take advantage of views, create outdoor living space or improve air circulation
in second floor rooms or converted attic space. Rooftop decks or balconies are the result. Unfortunately, this type of
addition is almost always an incompatible change. Roof balconies or decks should be located on the rear of the
building away from the public right-of-way. These structures create a false sense of history and are therefore
considered incompatible. Raising the roof to accommodate new living space, adding a room or wing with a different
roof shape or pitch and adding skylights in the roof surface that are visible from the public right-of-way also are
incompatible with historic buildings.
Many non-residential buildings in residential historic districts also utilize some of the same styles common to
residential buildings, but proportions and placement of roof elements such as chimneys and dormers may be different
depending upon the scale of the specific building and its style. When no style is present, or when changes to roofs of
commercial buildings in residential districts are contemplated, scale, materials, placement and visibility of elements
become the guiding factors in determining appropriate roof modifications. Regardless of the building type or style,
raising roofs and changing roof pitch will be considered incompatible with historic character and design. New vents,
fans, dormers, roof top balconies and other roof changes will need to be compatible in scale, materials, and
placement with the historic portions of the building as.well as with any new construction. The principles discussed
herein in relation to residential buildings apply equally to churches, schools, commercial and industrial buildings.
WINDOWS AND DOORS: Windows and doors are another critical issue when historic buildings are altered or
enlarged. The criteria discussed in this chapter under Basic Development Standards applies to designing window
and door size, type and placement in additions. But window and door materials and decorative treatment also are
important considerations. Windows and doors should be designed or selected to reflect the architectural style and
materials of the historic portion of the building. For example, a Queen Anne style house could have double hung
wood sash windows with multiple panes set in carved wood surrounds. The unpainted, carved wood front door might
have a window with stained glass in it and a fixed pane transom with stained glass above it. Appropriate new
windows and doors would be compatible, but not copies of the originals. Windows of the same size and type set in
simple wood surrounds at the same intervals and alignment as the originals will reflect the original windows, respect
81
the placement and frequency while being distinguishable as new. A wood entry door in an addition should be of
similar dimensions with carved panels but no window or transom. Aluminum or vinyl sliding or metal casement
windows would not be compatible choices, nor would anodized double hung sash windows with muntins sandwiched
between thermal glass. Metal doors, hollow core doors, or reproduction Victorian doors would not be compatible
choices. Installation of storm windows and doors should be done with care to ensure that they do not obscure or
damage character defining windows and doors. Awnings on additions to historic residential buildings should be used
with thought and care. Historicallv. awninqs are associated with Spanish Colonial Revival and Minimal
~
1'1
Ii..
I
~~
I
i
1
=
II"'
L
I?
ill
"'.
~.
1~
I
'l
Left: Incorrect storm window treatment for 6/6 double hung wood sash window showing horizontal bars with
placement offset from mullions. Right: Correct mullion placement for storm windows and screens.
Traditional style designs. When additions are made to
these architectural styles awnings may be appropriate
where historic examples were originally present on the
historic portion of the building. However, awnings on
an addition should be compatible in form, placement
and material with types used historically. Methods of
attachment must not damage window materials and
should be reversible. Non-historic metal and synthetic
awnings are seldom compatible with historic buildings.
Where shading of windows is desired for energy
conservation or other environmental reasons,
consider planting deciduous shade trees and shrubs
in place of awnings to screen windows in summer and
allow in light during the winter.
Historically compatible awnings
82
EXTERIOR WALL MATERIALS: Exterior wall materials selected for additions and new wings should be closely
matched to the materials used on the historic portion of the building. Wood with raised grain should not be used.
Synthetic substitutes for masonry and stucco are not recommended. Synthetic wood siding may be used if it is of
high quality, is durable and does not create a clearly different appearance from the historic wood siding materials.
Metal siding on additions and new wings should also be closely matched to the historic materials in type, texture,
gauge and appearance.
ENTRANCES AND PORCHES: Porches are among the most fragile features on historic dwellings and are among
the most altered. Porches are sometimes enclosed to create more living space, screened for comfort, expanded to
create a deck or terrace area, modified into a sun room or greenhouse or simply removed.
Porch enclosure: Porches should not be enclosed with plywood, T-111 siding, vinyl siding or other material as doing
so alters the historic character of a dwelling, especially when the porch is on the front of a historic building or is
otherwise visible from the public right-of-way. Such alterations should be removed and the porch returned to its
historic form using historic photographs or a design modeled after porches on neighborhood dwellings of similar style
and age. However, screening of porches to keep out flying insects is a traditional practice throughout Texas and
other Southern states. Screening should be a fine gauge metal
Appropriate porch screening alternatives
mesh nailed on the inside to a simple framework of 1 x 1/4 inch wood strips. The wood is typically painted to match
the building trim. Tudor Revival style dwellings and others with arched porch elements can be screened by attaching
screening material to wood strips on the inside of the arches. Enclosing arches with plate glass sheeting is
considered incompatible with the historic character of such dwellings. Front and side porches are sometimes
enclosed in a traditional manner using banks of multi paned windows set in siding that matches the dimensions and
character of that used on the exterior building walls. Rear porches may be converted to a greenhouse or sunroom
provided the porch is not visible from the front of the building or the public right-of-way. Appropriate glazing includes
prefabricated systems with a shed roof design and large sheets of glass attached to a rectilinear wood or metal
frame. Similar prefabricated types with curved roof forms should not be used since they are definitely modern and
detract from the historic character of a dwelling.
Rebuilding a porch: Historic porches that have been removed or are deteriorated beyond repair can be rebuilt
using historic photographs or other documentation. If no photographs or other documentation is available, a
historically compatible porch can be created by using as a model surviving porches on dwellings of similar style, size
and age located elsewhere in a historic district.
83
Creating a New Porch or Deck: New porches and
Compatible porch or deck railing for new
construction
decks are most appropriate when constructed at the
rear of a historic dwelling or other building type.
These must be designed to be compatible with historic
porch features and the building in general. Porches
that are historically appropriate will be compatible with
the type originally in place at a specific building. Many
dwellings have attached porches with shed roofs,
others have porches nestled underneath the primary
roof of the building. Posts range from square to round
and plain to decorated. Ceilings of most porches are
made of narrow wood planking, while decking and
stairs are wood planking or poured-in-place concrete.
A new porch or deck should use good quality finish
lumber and should be based on the design of existing
historic porches elsewhere on the building. Columns,
posts and railings should
be similar in shape, height, thickness
Compatible rail and baluster types
and placement to those used on historic
porches, but should not be exact copies
as this creates a false sense of history.
Widely spaced balusters and porch rails
built with rough finish or pressure treated
lumber are not recommended. Porch
decking should again be similar, but not
an exact copy of flooring used on
existing historic porches elsewhere on
the building. If historic porches have
concrete flooring and stairs and this is
not the desired treatment for the new
porch, wood flooring and stairs can be
built following models within the historic
district. Size, scale and placement of a
new porch or deck is critical in creating a
compatible design. New porches should
not overwhelm the dwelling or other
building.
A cover or roof is not
recommended for decks.
Recommended: Although the Commission does not review paint color, the Commission recommends following the
historic paint scheme originally used on the building. This can be identified by scraping areas of the exterior wall and
trim to find the oldest layer. When such investigations do not yield accurate information, paint selected for the
specific architectural style of the building from a historic color palette prepared by paint companies will be
appropriate. It should be noted that in many cases buildings have been stripped of all old paint and retain only one or
two coats. If only one or two coats of paint are present on a building built prior to 1940, it is unlikely that the paint is
original. White is an appropriate historic color for Greek Revival, Classical Revival and Colonial Revival buildings.
Earth tones are appropriate for Craftsman buildings and the trim on Tudor Revival buildings. Second Empire, Queen
Anne, Eastlake and Italianate buildings were usually painted with muted greens. muted yellows, muted reds or rusts.
Many modest wood bungalows built in the 1920s and 1930s were originally painted white. Unpainted brick buildings
should not be painted. When exterior brick has been painted. the paint can sometimes be removed using a low
pressure water wash and non-abrasive cleaning techniques. If paint cannot be removed using non-damaging
84
methods, the building may be repainted using a color compatible with the style or age of the building. By consulting a
historic color palette, a paint scheme that is historically appropriate can be selected. See the Technical Assistance
section of the Bibliography for other resources on historic paint colors.
Not Recommended: Exterior colors not historically associated with identifiable architectural styles. Paint palettes
prepared by paint companies can assist in locating appropriate paint colors. Painting unpainted historic brick or stone
buildings is not recommended. Sandblasting or use of other abrasive cleaning methods prior to painting also is not
recommended.
BUILDING INTERIOR
Building interiors are important components of historic buildings and when additions are made to them
compatible interior materials should be used. Building interiors are divided into two general categories: space and
the relationship of rooms to each other and features and finishes. Because residential interiors are private space the
Historic Landmarks Commission does not review interior changes. However, the Commission encourages the
compatible integration of the historic floor plan with space in the addition and use of compatible interior features and
finishes. This will only add to the value and function of the addition. See Chapter VII above for a more detailed
discussion of interior elements.
STRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Although the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review changes to interior structural or mechanical
systems, it does, however, have an interest in the treatment of foundations and placement of air conditioning
compressors and window air conditioning units in historic buildings because these elements typically occur on the
exterior of a building. Foundations for additions should follow the criteria discussed above in this chapter. Air
conditioning (or heat) compressors should be placed at the rear of the building, or within it. When compressors and
the like are placed outside, they should be screened from view by hedges or structural enclosures that use materials,
size, design and colors compatible with the associated building. Compressors should not be placed in any of the
setback areas surrounding a new building or in the front or side yards when these areas are visible from the public
right-of-way. Window air conditioning units are best placed in windows not visible from the public right-of-way. When
this is not possible, units that are streamlined and fit within the window surround with a minimum of exterior extension
are preferred. When installing window units, care should be taken not to damage the window frame, surround, sill or
other molding and to retain all parts of the window in place.
See Chapter VII. Guidelines for Repair and Maintenance of Historic Properties for recommended
approaches.
ENERGY RETROFITTING
See Chapter VII. Guidelines for Repair and Maintenance of Historic Properties for recommended
approaches.
DESIGN FOR MOVED BUILDINGS
Buildings moved into a historic district or onto the grounds of a historic property should be rehabilitated
following the guidelines in this chapter for siting, orientation, materials, and all other areas of placement and
construction or repair, as needed. The rehabilitation should result in a moved building that is compatible with the
surrounding historic context. See Chapter IX. for additional guidance in selecting compatible buildings for placement
in a historic district.
ALTERATIONS TO NON-HISTORIC AND NONCONTRIBUTING PROPERTIES
In general non-historic buildings associated with individually listed historic buildings and Noncontributing
85
properties in historic districts are governed by the same guidelines that apply to historic buildings and Contributing
properties within historic districts. Changes that alter the original design by adding stylistic features or elements not
part of the original building are not recommended. For example, adding Victorian detailing to the porch of a 1920
bungalow introduces elements incompatible with the original design. Adding etched or beveled glass to windows that
did not historically have such glass is another example of an introduced element that creates a false sense of history.
Changes to Noncontributing or non-historic buildings in historic districts or non-historic buildings associated with an
individually listed historic property will be reviewed in the same way as a historic building. In other words, alterations
must be compatible with the historic portion of the building as well as with the district as a whole. By evaluating
Noncontributing and non-historic buildings in relation to these guidelines, incompatible changes will hopefully be
avoided and owners of Noncontributing historic buildings will have an opportunity to re-establish historic features that
could lead to reclassification of the property as Contributing.
86
IX. Guidelines for New Construction in Designated
Historic Districts and at Individually Designated
Historic Properties
INTRODUCTION
The guidelines in the chapter address the construction of new buildings, also known as infill construction,
within historic districts and within the boundaries of individually designated historic properties. These guidelines offer
suggestions for creating compatible new designs that will be harmonious with historic properties. The Historic
Landmarks Commission will not approve new construction that is incompatible with histOriC design. materials and
other features.
Setbacks: New primary buildings within historic
1. Setback too shallow; 2. Setback too deep; 3.
districts should respect the setbacks of the historic
Correct setback location
context. New buildings should not extend beyond the
front facade line established by the other buildings on
/
.
/
/
the street, nor should they be placed behind such line.
/
/
't.•
/
/
Side setbacks should also respect historic patterns
/
/ \.
I
I
and new buildings should be placed so that at least 10
I
/
/
feet of clear space exists on each side of the dwelling
/
/
between it and the property line. Rear setbacks are
I
/
/
more flexible and should conform to existing building
codes. When new buildings are constructed on sites
containing historic buildings, the new buildings should
be subordinate to the historic buildings and placed at
the rear of the lot or property to minimize their
visibility.
Orientation: New primary buildings should be oriented in the same manner as the other primary bUIldings on the
street. The front entrance and roof line directions should match the orientation of histone dwellinfjs on the street
Secondary buildings such as garages, sheds, garage apartments and the like should be at the rr~mr of the lot and
have orientations similar to those seen in historic examples within the historic district or individually listed historic
property.
r---r----
/
,.
Scale: The scale of new buildings should be
compatible with existing historic buildings and the
overall historic character of the district or individual
property. Buildings should be scaled to the human
form, with windows, porches and detailing similar to
the scale of existing features on nearby historic
buildings. Features of the new building such as roof
pitch, size of porches, height of walls, relative size of
windows to solid wall surface, lot coverage, and size
of detail elements should all be compatible with the
existing historic
New building, center, is out of scale with historic
buildings
87
buildings. The scale of new buildings and their components should not overwhelm historic examples in the
surrounding context.
Height: New buildings should conform to existing
New building, center, is too short relative to the
heights for historic buildings. New one-story buildings
historic buildings surrounding it
should not be taller or shorter than the prevailing
height of historic one-story buildings. The same rule
applies to two and three-story buildings. The cornice
height of historic buildings should be followed in
designing a new building as should location of
divisions between stories. Foundations for new
buildings should utilize the raised post and beam type
traditional in most historic Palestine neighborhoods
and should recreate the typical foundation height.
Concrete slab foundations are not usually compatible
with historic buildings and are not likely to assist in
creating a compatible new design. Only where a
historic district is largely comprised of historic
buildings with concrete slab foundations would this
foundation type be appropriate for new construction.
New buildings are often shorter than historic buildings, ,.,----==~.!..--f
due to differences in construction methods, lumber
sizes and the absence of decorative elements. Care L,.,.....,..,.,.."===::::::-""'i"':7'""",r"must be taken when designing a new building to
carefully assess the height of all components of
surrounding historic buildings to ensure a compatible
new design.
New building, center, is too tall and is out of scale
(too massive) with neighboring historic buildings
Massing: New buildings should reference the massing of historic buildings without copying an exact design.
Important massing features include the prevalent wall and porch shapes, presence of wings or ells, and the
placement and repetition of these elements. These rhythms should be repeated in designing a compatible new
building or outbuilding, but should not be copied exactly from any given historic building.
Details: Porch details, window sills and framing, front entries, dormer windows, eave treatments, chimney placement
or the absence of chimneys, bay windows and other elements should be used as references or inspiration in creating
detailing for a new, compatible building or outbuilding. But such elements should not be copied.
Materials: Wood and brick are the dominant building materials in historic Palestine neighborhoods and these
materials should be the first choice when designing a new building. High quality synthetic siding that matches the
appearance of wood may be appropriate for new outbuildings in historic districts or on the grounds of individually
listed historic properties. Synthetic wood materials are not recommended for new primary buildings nor is synthetic
brick or stone. These materials usually fall far short in appearance, and many are not durable, to be compatible
within historic districts or at individually listed historic properties.
Windows and Doors: Windows and doors are important character defining features and new buildings should
incorporate the window and door rhythms used on historic buildings in the surrounding neighborhood or within an
individually listed historic property. The arrangement of windows and doors within a facade is referred to as bay
divisions or bay arrangement and the resulting patterns found within a historic district or property should form the
basis for window and door placement in any new building. The relationship of the window size, shape and number to
the solid wall area also is an important feature to be considered in designing a new building. Historic dwellings built
prior to 1950 did not typically have large picture windows, sliding glass doors or small, narrow windows placed high
88
on a wall. These features will not be compatible with Palestine~ late 19th and early 20th century residential historic
districts and properties. Storm windows and doors and awnings should be used with care on new construction in
historic districts, and should be compatible with the style of the new building and surrounding historic buildings and
the district as a whole. Installation of such features should not damage window and door materials and should be
reversible.
Style: New buildings built within a historic district or on the grounds of an individually listed property should not be
designed in any particular historic style. To do so would be to create a false sense of history and age. New buildings
should be compatible with historic ones, and incorporate design features discussed above without mimicking or
copying specific styles or examples. Simpler versions of historic architecture using similar materials are often the
best solution to compatible new construction. Good contemporary architectural design can. and should. incorporate
references to historic features by using historically inspired massing, detail, materials. scale, orientation and
setbacks.
BUILDING SITE
When constructing new buildings in historic districts or on individually designated historic properties,
treatment of the building site is just as important as the design of the new building. Site features play an important
role in ensuring the compatibility of new buildings within historic districts and historic properties and as much attention
should be paid to designing compatible elements as is given when these features are in direct association with
historic buildings.
.
Two appropriate fence types for new construction
FENCING AND WALLS: Fences and walls associated
with new construction in historic districts or at
individually listed historic properties should not mimic
or replicate historic deSigns. Design for new fencing
and walls should be compatible with the design,
materials and color ofthe associated new building and
at the same time be compatible with the surrounding
historic district or individually listed historic property.
Wood, brick, stone, a mix of wood and metal mesh
and plastered walls can be used depending on the
design of the new building. Brick should match or be
compatible with brick used on the new building, and
1\
stone should be locally occuring. Plastered walls
should
also be compatible with materials on the new dwelling. Fencing at the front property line should be placed at the
sidewalk and be no taller than three feet. Rear property line fencing should be no taller than !'lIX fnet Side propt.,rty
line fencing should not exceed four feet in the area between the front property line and the front wiill of UWt bUIlding,
thereafter, side property line fencing may be six feet in height. These height limits and placement for fnncmq are
based on historic patterns and standard building codes. Location of fencing at the front proporty Une is a historic
pattern that should be maintained for new construction in order to retain continuity Within histone districts.
Suggestions for historically compatible fencing are found in Chapters VII and VIII above.
Appropriate hmce heights
Recommended: Plastered walls should have a smooth stucco
coating. Wood fencing and plastered walls (but not the coping)
may be painted or stained a color compatible with the
associated dwelling. Other types offencing and walls should not
be painted. When dwellings are sited on a corner lot, fencing for
the side property line facing the secondary street shall be of the
type and height specified for the front of the property.
Not Recommended: Synthetic or man-made materials that mimic wood, brick or native ston*l are not fHcomrnended
for use in historic districts or at individually designated historic properties. Welded steel fenclnq, :;Mt'lt mota! foncinq
City of
89
Pak~BtinH,
Texas
and hurricane fencing types also are not recommended because they are not compatible with historic districts or
individually designated historic properties. Historic or reproduction cast or wrought iron fencing types also are not
recommended because they create a false sense of history. Unplastered concrete block, adobe brick, poured
concrete walls or walls made of other materials are not compatible with Palestine~ residential historic
neighborhoods.
WALKWAYS AND DRIVEWAYS: Walkways and driveways associated with new construction in historic districts or at
individually listed historic properties should not mimic or replicate historic designs. Design for these elements should
be compatible in materials, form and scale with the design of the new building and with the surrounding neighborhood
or site in general. Native stone, poured or cast concrete, brick, gravel, earth or grass all can be used.
Recommended: Walks and driveways should be concrete, brick, stone, crushed rock or gravel, or grass. Concrete
should not be painted or stained and rock should be locally occurring iron stone. The type of walk or driveway
material used, and its design should be compatible with the associated dwelling and the historic character of the
neighborhood as a whole.
Not Recommended: Synthetic or non-traditional materials such as asphalt, concrete blocks, rounded concrete
paving stones or riprap are not recommended because they are not likely to be compatible with the surrounding
historic context.
OUTBUILDINGS: New outbuildings constructed in association with a new building located in a historic district and
those on the grounds of an individually listed historic property should reference the scale, massing, materials, height,
setbacks, roof shape, window and door patterns and types, and porch placement of the primary building. New
outbuildings should be at the rear of the new building and subordinate to it. Simplified versions of the primary dwelling
would be appropriate.
Recommended: Outbuildings, in most cases, should be one story in height and utilize design elements as discussed
directly above that reference the new primary building on the site. In some cases an outbuilding constructed to two
stories may be appropriate, such as a garage apartment or a bam. However, outbuildings should be no taller than
approximately 2/3 the height of the associated primary building and in most cases should be _ the height.
Outbuildings should not be placed in the front or side setback areas or in the front yard of any dwelling. Carports
should be free standing and complement the primary building and blend with any other outbuildings on the property;
they should not be placed in the front yard, or front or side setback areas. While synthetic siding materials are
allowed for new outbuildings, these should be of high quality and care should be taken to ensure compatibility with
the associated new primary building and the historic district or property as a whole.
Not Recommended: New outbuildings should not replicate historic buildings or include details for forms that could
suggest a false sense of history. Prefabricated outbuildings or carports, those with bam-like roofs and those not
attached to a permanent foundation are not permitted since these detract from the historic character of a property and
a historic district as a whole. Outbuildings should not be placed in the front yard or near the front of a property, nor in
the side yards or in any setback area.
SIGNS: Signs associated with new buildings either in historic districts or on individually designated historic properties
should be constructed and mounted using the standards discussed above in Chapter VIII. Guidelines for Alterations
to Historic Properties. However, since these signs will be associated with new buildings, their design should
reference their associated building, not historic forms.
GARBAGE CONTAINERS: Although not present in the historic period, modem garbage containers and garbage
enclosures not visible from the street. Design of the sheds or enclosures should be compatible with materials, design
and color of the primary building. Such structures should be placed at the rear of a building, and not be visible from
the public right-of-way. When such structures must be placed in a side yard due to environmental or site conditions,
90
they should be screened wIth hndges to fmnirntze their visibility from the public right-of-way. Small gable roofed or
shed roofed structures can he blllit to house q~lrbaqe bins or cans. Hedges and low wood fencing is an alternative to
a roofed enclosure.
Compatible screening for garbage containers and cans
LIGHTING: Exterior lighting placed in association with new construction should utilize fixtures that are compatible
with the design of the new building. Historic lighting fixtures or reproductions are not recommended. Although
exterior lighting and lighting in yards and gardens can be' an aid to navigation such lighting also can be an
environmental nuisance when light invades neighboring properties. Property owners wishing to install outdoor
lighting should use lighting fixtures mounted on the insides of gate posts, or in trees. Wall fixtures near doors can be
used, provided they are compatible with the style of the building, and the light source (bulb) is shielded to direct the
light downward and to the interior of the property. Exterior lighting should not be a beacon within the neighborhood or
cast light on surrounding properties. Wattage in all exterior lighting should be low enough to provide light, but not to
illuminate the entire property or shine onto neighboring properties or into buildings.
Recommended: Lights mounted on the inside of gateposts and on low ballards within yards. Overhead porch lights,
and small fixtures compatible in design and materials with the new building that are mounted on walls near doors
when the light source is shielded and directed down and to the interior of the property.
Not Recommended: Lighting fixtures incompatible in design and materials with the new building, large light fixtures
on building or in yards, flood lights, reproduction street lights used within residential yards or historic districts, lights
mounted on poles at the property line, unshielded light fixtures, colored lights (except for short-term seasonal, holiday
lighting), high wattage bulbs, high pressure sodium lights and other modern types. Historic lighting fixtures or
reproduction fixtures also are not recommended for new construction in historic districts or on individually listed
historic properties.
LANDSCAPING: Landscaping installed in association with new construction in historic districts should be compatible
with the neighborhood as a whole, but should not mimic or replicate historic designs or specialty gardens. Hardscape
treatments such as concrete or other man-made materials used in place of living plants should not be used in the
front or side yards of new dwellings in historic districts. Similarly, plant material should be selected for its ability to
grow in the East Texas climate and soils and should be compatible with plant materials used in the neighborhood.
Landscaping associated with new construction on individually listed historic properties should be compatible with the
existing landscaping of the individual property.
PARKING LOTS: Parking lots needed for a new building within a historic district should always be located at the
rear of the property away from public view. Parking structures should not be built in historic residential districts.
Recommended: New parking lots should be at the rear of buildings and not visible from the front of a building. If
parking is placed in side or rear yards of dwellings because of environmental or site considerations, these should be
screened by hedges, shrubs, trees or appropriate fencing (see fencing above in this chapter).
91
Not Recommended: Parking lots or areas at the front of buildings or in the front or side yards of buildings, in setback
areas, non-screened parking areas, and the use of metal fencing or walls as screening are not recommended.
Parking structures should not be built in historic residential districts.
SATELLITE DISHES: Satellite dishes are seen throughout Palestine.as historic neighborhoods, often in front yards or
attached to the roof or front of the building. The City of Palestine governs placement of satellite dishes in Section 2253 of the Palestine Building section of the Code of Ordinances and in Ordinance 0-9-90 (HistOrical Preservation
Zoning). These codes require satellite dishes to be located at the rear of a property or on the rear of a building where
such will not be visible from the public right of way. Television and radio towers are not permitted in historic districts
or on designated historic properties in Palestine. These design guidelines endorse these rules for new construction in
historic districts and at individually designated historic properties.
BUILDINGS
NEW PRIMARY BUILDINGS: New
primary buildings in historic districts
:md new buildings constructed on
U1e
grounds
of
individually
designated historic properties should
reference and reflect the historic
character of the area without
copying it. Although this sounds
vague, it is a guideline that allows
the design flexibility necessary to
create compatible infill construction.
New primary buildings such as a
dwelling should incorporate
features inspired by, but not copied directly from, existing historic buildings in the district or on the grounds of an
individually listed historic property. When the elements discussed above in Basic Development Standards are
integrated into a new building, a compatible design is likely to result. Put another way, a compatible new building can
be a simpler version of a historic building made from the same type materials. Compatible buildings blend in, but are
differentiated from historic buildings by their simpler forms and detailing.
MODULAR AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING: This type of housing can be introduced as compatible infill
construction in historic districts and on individually designated historic properties when it is sited and otherwise
treated, landscaped and maintained in conformance with the guidelines governing historic and non-historic properties
discussed in these guidelines. Modular and manufactured housing, including trailers must be attached to a
permanent foundation that meets building codes and the guidelines discussed in this chapter under Basic
Development Standards. Modular and manufactured housing must be sited to conform to historic setbacks.
Orientation must be toward the primary street. Height cannot exceed one-story or the prevailing height of the
surrounding historic one-story buildings, nor be shorter than the prevailing height of surrounding one-story buildings.
Roof shape, materials and pitch, exterior materials and massing must be designed to be compatible with historic
buildings and compatible infill buildings that are erected using traditional building methods. Synthetic siding used in
place of wood siding on a manufactured or modular dwelling must be of high quality, be durable and be of an
appearance and profile that is compatible with wood siding in the district or at the individual historic property where
the manufactured or modular dwelling is to be located. Sheet metal, plywood, stucco, concrete block, concrete, are
not allowable siding materials for primary buildings (or most other buildings) in historic districts or for modular or
manufactured housing moved onto individually designated historic properties. Typically, these materials do not
provide an appearance compatible with historic buildings. While synthetic wood materials or other man-made wood
simulating materials are permitted for manufactured or modular housing within historic districts, such materials are
discouraged.
92
Recommended: Although the Commission does not review paint color, the Commission recommends selecting paint
colors for new buildings that are compatible with historic paint schemes used in the historic district or at individually
listed historic properties. Paint palettes prepared by major paint manufacturers will provide guidance. See the
Technical Assistance section of the Bibliography for more resources on historic paint colors.
Not Recommended: Exterior colors not historically associated with the individually listed property or historic district
in which the new building is located.
BUILDING INTERIOR
The interior design, finishes or features of new buildings within historic districts and on individually
designated historic properties are not reviewed by the Historic Landmarks Commission.
STRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Although the Historic Landmarks Commission does not review changes to interior structural or mechanical
systems, it does, however, have an interest in the treatment of foundations and placement of air conditioning
compressors and window air conditioning units in new construction because these elements typically occur on the
exterior of a building. Foundations for new construction should follow the criteria discussed in this chapter in Basic
Development Standards. Air conditioning (or heat) compressors should be placed at the rear of the building and
should be screened from view by hedge or structural enclosure that uses materials, size, design and colors
compatible with the associated building. Compressors should not be placed in any of the setback areas surrounding
a new building or in the front or side yards when these areas are visible from the public right-of-way. Window air
conditioning units are best placed in windows not visible from the public right-of-way. When this is not possible, units
that are streamlined and fit within the window surround with a minimum of exterior extension are preferred.
The Historic Landmarks Commission does not review health and safety requirements for the interior of new
buildings. It should be noted however, that exterior access ramps and other exterior features associated with health
and safety codes should conform to guidelines for these elements recommended in Chapter VII. Guidelines for
Repair and Maintenance of Historic Properties.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Once again, the Historic
Appropriate screening for an air conditioning unit
Landmarks Commission does not
review
energy
conservation
measures that affect in interior of a
new building. However, exterior
features such as heating and air
conditioning units solar panels, solar
collectors
and
other
energy
conserving elements should be
located out of sight from the public
right of way, or
appropriately screened using hedges, shelters or low fences and walls, designed in conformance with guidelines for
these features in Chapter VII. Guidelines for Repair and Maintenance of Historic Properties.
IMPROVEMENTS MOVED INTO A HISTORIC DISTRICT OR ONTO A PROPERTY
Buildings moved into a historic district or onto land part of a designated historic site should be carefully sited,
landscaped and rehabilitated to be compatible with the historic character of the district or property following the
93
guidelines in Chapter VII and Chapter VIII above. When moving a historic building into a historic district, the building
to be moved should be compatible in age, style, construction and materials with surrounding historic properties. The
same guidelines apply to locating a historic building on the grounds of a designated historic building. A historic
residence moved into a residential historic district containing mostly modest one-story wood sided bungalows built in
the 1920s, for example, should be of similar age and building style and utilize similar exterior materials. Locating an
1870s two-story dwelling or a brick commercial building within such a district would not be appropriate. A historic
barn or small residence that is of a similar age and uses similar exterior materials and is smaller and shorter than the
primary historic building on the site would be appropriate. Moving a grand two-story Victorian mansion onto the
grounds of a modest one-story 1920s dwelling would not be appropriate. Placement of non-historic buildings in a
historic district or on the grounds of a designated historic landmark also is not recommended. Buildings approved for
placement within boundaries of an individually designated historic property should be placed to the rear of the primary
building and oriented to be compatible with it. When such buildings are moved into a historic district they should be
sited and oriented to mimic the setbacks and orientation of the historic buildings on the block. When locating
improvements that are not buildings, issues of scale, materials, size, placement and orientation should be very
carefully considered for compatibility with the historic context. A locomotive or oil drilling rig moved into a park in a
residential neighborhood is not likely to be compatible with the history and use of the neighborhood, but such an
object could successfully be installed in a location adjacent to railyards or an industrial area with a history related to
oil production.
x.
List of Designated Historic Properties in Palestine
Historic properties in Palestine are designated under Federal, state and local preservation programs.
Palestine has properties on the National Register of Historic Places, a Federal program. Palestine also has
properties designated by Texas preservation programs including Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and Texas
Subject Marker. Palestine also has properties designated by the City of Palestine as local landmarks.
National Register of Historic Places
As of January 2002 17 individual properties are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. As of
September 2004, three residential historic districts also are designated. These are:
Individual Properties:
Edwin W. And Eva Link House
Palestine High School
Palestine Carnegie Library
William and Caroline Broyles House
Anderson County Courthouse
George and Cornelia Howard House
Gatewood-Shelton Gin
Lincoln High School
Mount Vernon A.M.E. Church
John H. Reagan Monument
Redlands Hotel
Anderson County Jail
Denby Building
G. E. Dilley Building
First Presbyterian Church
Robinson Bank Building
925 North Link
400 Michaux Avenue
502 North Queen
1305 South Sycamore
1 Public Square
1011 North Perry
304 East Crawford
920 West Swantz Street 3
913 East Calhoun Street
Reagan Park
400 North Queen
704 Avenue A
201 West Crawford Street
503 West Main
406 Avenue A
213 West Main
3 Lincoln School was severely damaged by fire in 2000 and has been demolished.
94
101 East Oak
United States Post Office Building
Historic Districts:
North Side Historic District
South Side Historic District
Michaux Park Historic District
Texas State Landmark Programs
Texas state landmark programs are the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL), Subject Marker, Historic
Texas Cemetery and State Archeological Landmark (SAL). The following 13 Palestine properties are designated as
RTHLs and 22 properties have Subject Marker designations.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHL):
Bowers Mansion
Broyles, William and Caroline, House
First Presbyterian Church
Hodges, Darsey, House (replica)
Howard House
I&GN Hospital and Nurses Quarters
Link House
Mt. Vernon A.M.E. Church
Palestine Carnegie Library
Palestine High School
Pennybacker-Campbell-Womack House
Sacred Heart Church
Seven Oaks (Mallard-Alexander House)
301 S. Magnolia Street
1305 S. Sycamore Street
406 Avenue A
517 E. Hodges
1011 N. Perry
1004 Link Street
913 E. Calhoun
502 N. Queen Street
400 Michaux Avenue
814 Sycamore Street
401 W. Oak Street
407 E. Kolstad
Texas Subject Markers:
Alexander, Judge William
Anderson County Courthouse
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Campbell, Gov. Thomas Mitchell
Eilenberger.es Bakery
First Christian Church
First Methodist Church of Palestine
Four Pines School, Site of
Grace Methodist Church
Gregg, Congo Alexander W., Home
Historic Palestine Intersection
Hodges-Dorsey House
Kimbro, Capt. William
Kolstad Jewelers
Lincoln High School
Mallard, Judge John Byler
McClure-Reynolds-Fowler Home
Palestine Fire Department
Palestine Salt Works, C.S.A
Reagan, John H.
St. Phillips Episcopal Church
St. Mary.es Academy, Site of
Old Cemetery
Courthouse Square
907 E. Murchison Street
Courthouse grounds
512 N. John Street
113 E. Crawford
2305 Salt Works Road
209 W. Kolstad
421 S. Magnolia
Main & Houston at Ave A
517 E. Hodges
Old Cemetery
100 W. Oak Street
902 Swantz Street
Old Cemetery
921 N. Perry Street
611 Avenue A
Courthouse grounds
Reagan Park
Sycamore and Crawford streets
418 Tennessee Avenue
95
Palestine Landmark Programs
Properties designated as a Palestine Landmark and as Palestine Historic Districts have been so designated
by local ordinance as historically significant resources. They are:
Individual Properties:
Mt. Vernon AME Church
913 Calhoun
Roy and Mary Everett House
910 North Cedar
Alamo School (Palestine Public library)
1101 North Cedar
Dwelling
1208 N Conrad
Dwelling
111 West Dallas
Dwelling
600 Debard
Dwelling
203 East Erwin
Dwelling
509 Fort Street
Dwelling
515 Fort Street
John and Emma Hearne House
503 Hodges
Hodges-Darsey House
517 Hodges
813 Hurst Street
Dweiii n.g
Dwelling
815 North Jackson Street
Dwelling
722 North John
Tim and Elizabeth O..connell House
723 North John
Philip and Minnie Crutchfield House
303 East Kolstad
Wilson-Wright-Brooks House
310 East Kolstad
Joost-Ozment House
922 North Link
Ash-Bowers House
301 South Magnolia
919 South Magnolia
I&GN Hospital and Nurses Quarters
Gregg-link Building
100 West Main/101 West Spring
1025 North Mallard
George Burkitt House
Ernest and Sara Daly House
715 South May
Ned and Willie Morris House
408 East Neches Street
Dwelling
211 West Neches
Dwelling
305 East Palestine
Dwelling
906 North Perry
George and Cornelia Howard House
1011 North Perry
927 North Queen
Adam Schaar House
P.A. and Mollie Kolstad House
1005 North Queen
John and Mary Colley House
419 South Royall
Dwelling
924 South Royall
M.l. and Bettie Wherry House
1248 South Royall
George and Mattie Schmidt House
901 North Sycamore
John and Mary Roquemore House
1001 North Sycamore
Dwelling
1014 North Sycamore
Salina Stein House
308 South Sycamore
Dwelling
606 South Sycamore
Pearlstone-Hamilton House
708 South Sycamore
Harry and Addie Ford House
709 South Sycamore
Dwelling
712 South Sycamore
Kane-Wagner House
716 South Sycamore
Hotchkiss-Blanchard House
717 South Sycamore
1211 South Sycamore
Oscar and Mattie Dugey House
96
501 Tennessee
Dwelling
Historic Districts:
Downtown Historic District
Bounded
by
Spring
Street,
Howar
d
Street,
Debar
d
Street,
Erwin
Street,
proper
ty
lines
betwe
en
Erwin
and
Crawf
ord
Street,
Crawf
ord
Street,
Elm
Street,
Avenu
e
A,
proper
ty
lines
betwe
en
Avenu
e
A
and
Spring
Street,
Main
Street,
Avenu
eA.
97
XI. BIBLIOGRAPHY
ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY
Abernethy, Francis Edward, ed. Built in Texas. Dallas: E-Hart, 1979.
Alexander, Drury Blakeley. Texas Homes of the Nineteenth Century. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1966.
Associated Architects. Fifty House Plans Designed for Home Builders in the Southwest. Dallas: Associated
Architects, n.d.
Axelrod, Alan, ed. The Colonial Revival in America. New York: W.W. Norton, 1985.
BicknellJ8 Victorian Buildings: Floor Plans and Elevations for 45 Houses and Other Structures.
A. J. Bicknell & Co., 1878. Reprint: New York: Dover Publications, 1979.
Carter, Thomas, and Bernard L. Herman, eds.
University of Missouri Press, 1989.
Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture, III.
Columbia, MO:
Clark, Clifford E. The American Family Home, 1800-1960. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 1986.
Fitch, James Marston. American Building: The Historical Forces that Shaped It. New York: Schocken, 1966.
Garraty, John A. The Story of America: Beginnings to 1877. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1992.
Glassie, Henry. Pattem in the Material Folk Culture of the Eastern United States. Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1983.
Gowans, Alan. The Comfortable House: North American Suburban Architecture, 1890-1930. Cambridge, MA:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1984.
Hamlin, Talbot. Greek Revival Architecture in America. New York: Dover, 1964 (reprint of 1944 book).
Handlin, David P. The American Home: Architecture and Society, 1815-1915. Boston: Little, Brown, 1979.
Historic Preservation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington,
D.C 20036. A popular journal covering a range of preservation issues.
Kennedy, Roger G. Architecture, Men, Women and Money in America, 1600-1860. New York: Random House,
1985.
King, Anthony D., ed. Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment. London:
Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ . The Bungalow: The Production of a Global Culture. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1984.
Lancaster, Clay. The American Bungalow, 1880-1930. New York: Abbeville press, 1985.
Lewis, Pierce. "Common Houses, Cultural Spoor." Landscape 19: 1-22, 1975.
Longstreth, Richard. "The Problem with Style." The Forum: Bulletin of the Committee on Preservation 6:1-4, 1984.
Murtagh, William J. Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America. Pittstown, NJ: Main Street,
98
1988.
Newsom, Samuel, and Joseph Newsom. Picturesque California Homes: A Volume of Forty Plates, Plans Details and
Specifications of Houses. Reprinted. Originally published 1884, San Francisco. Los Angeles: Hennessey &
Ingalls, 1978.
Pierson, William H., Jr. American Buildings and Their Architects: The Colonial and Neo-Classical Styles. Garden
City, NY: Anchor Books, 1976.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . American Buildings and Their Architects: Technology and the Picturesque, The
Corporate and the Early Gothic Styles. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978.
Robinson, Willard B. Texas Public Buildings of the Nineteenth Century. Austin: University of Texas, 1974.
Roth, Leland M. A Concise History of American Architecture. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.
St. George, Robert Blair, ed. Material Ufe in America, 1600-1860. Boston: Northeastern University, 1988.
Shoppel, R. W. Tum-of-the-Century Houses Cottages and Vii/as. Reprinted. Originally published 1890, 1900.
Dover, New York: The Co-Operative Building Plan Association, New York, 1983.
Stilgoe, John R. Common Landscape of America, 1580 to 1845. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1982.
Tyler, Ron, et. aI., eds. The New Handbook of Texas in Six Volumes. Austin, TX: The Texas State Historical
Association, 1996.
United States Census, Population Schedules, 1850-1950.
Upton, Dell, ed. "Early Vernacular Architecture in Southeastern Virginia." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Boston:
Brown University, 1979.
_ _ _ _ _ . "Vernacular Domestic Architecture in Eighteenth-Century Virginia." Winterthur Portfolio 17:95-119,
1982.
_ _ _ _ _ . America's Architectural Roots: Ethnic Groups that Built America. Washington, DC: Preservation
Press, 1986.
Upton, Dell and John Vlach, eds. Common Places. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1986.
Von Holst, Hermann Valentin. Country and Suburban Homes of the Prairie School Period.
Originally published Chicago: American Technical Society, 1913.
Reprinted 1982.
Webb, Walter Prescott, ed. The Handbook of Texas: A Dictionary of Essential Information, Volumes I and II. Austin:
Texas State Historical Association, 1952.
Wells, Camille. Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture. Annapolis, MD, Vernacular Architecture Forum, 1982.
_ _ _ _ . Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture, II. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1986.
Wright, Gwendolyn. Moralism and the Modem Home: Domestic Architecture and Cultural Conflict in Chicago, 18731913. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1980.
99
_ _ _.,-:-_ _:--_. Building the Dream: A Social History of Housing in America. Cambridge, Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1981.
Ye Planry. Beautiful Homes. Dallas: Ya Planry, 1914.
ARCHITECTURAL IDENTIFICATION
Gebhard, David, and Robert Winter. Architecture in Los Angeles: A Compleat Guide. Layton, UT: Peregrine
Smith Books, 1985.
Harris, Cyril M. Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture. New York: Dover Publications. Inc .• 1977.
Harris, Cyril, ed. Historic Architecture Sourcebook. New York: McGraw-Hili, 1977.
Maddox, Diane, ed. All About Old Buildings: The Whole Preservation Catalog. Washington, DC, Preservation
Press, 1985.
Maddox, Diane, ed. Built in the U.S.A. Washington D.C.: Preservation Press, 1984.
McAlester, Virginia, and Lee McAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.
Phillips, Steven, J. Old House Dictionary: An Illustrated Guide to American Domestic Architecture. Washington
D.C.: Preservation Press, 1992.
Stevenson, Katherine Cole and H. Ward Jandl. Houses by Mail: A Guide to Houses from Sears, Roebuck and
Company. Washington, DC: Preservation Press, 1986.
GENERAL REFERENCES
Cassity, Pratt. Maintaining Community Character: How to Establish a Local Historic District. National Trust for
Historic Preservation, n.d.
City of Galveston, Texas. Design Guidelines for the Historic Districts of Galveston.
City of Mansfield, Texas. Design Guidelines for Downtown Mansfield, 1991.
City of Round Rock, Texas. Downtown Reinvestment Zone Architectural Guidelines
Cox, Rachel S. Design Review in Historic Districts. National Trust for Historic Preservation., n.d.
Kaplan, Marilyn E. Safety, Building Codes and Historic Buildings. National Trust for Historic Preservation., n.d.
Miller, Julia H. A LaypersonJ6 Guide to Historic Preservation Law. National Trust for Historic Preservation., n.d.
Texas Historical Commission. Historic Preservation at Work for the Texas Economy. Austin, Texas: The Texas
Historical Commission and others, 1999.
Texas Historical Commission. Heritage. Austin, Texas: The Texas Historical Commission and others, 2001.
Texas Historical Commission. The Texas Ten: Preserving the StateJ6 Historic Outdoor Sculpture. Austin, Texas: The
Texas Historical Commission, 1999.
Residential DeSign Guidelines
100
PALESTINE HISTORY
Moore, David, et. al. .preliminary National Register Multiple-Property Nomination for the City of Palestine (including
Community and Regional Development in Palestine: 1846-1945).• Hardy-Heck-Moore & Associates, 1993.
(Historic Narrative and Property Types)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: 10 individual properties in
Palestine. Hardy-Heck-Moore & Associates, 1994-1998.
Historic Resources of Palestine, Texas, Survey Materials.
Associates, 1989.94.
_ _ _ _ _-:--:_--:-::-=-::.
Hardy-Heck-Moore &
Moore, David, and Diane E. Williams, et. al. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: .North Side
Historic District.. Hardy-Heck-Moore & Associates, 1994-1998.
Moore, David, and Diane E. Williams, et. al. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: .south Side
Historic District.. Hardy-Heck-Moore & Associates, 1994-1998.
Williams, Diane E. Historic Resources Survey Review: Phase I of a Preservation Plan and Implementation Products
for the City of Palestine, Texas. Austin, TX: Diane E. Williams & Associates, 2000.
_ _ _ _ _--::::-:--::-:-.. Teaching Texas History with Local National Register Properties. City of Palestine, Texas.
Austin, TX: Diane E. Williams & Associates, 1998.
PALESTINE ORDINANCES
City of Palestine Ordinance 0-0-90 Historical Preservation Zoning.
City of Palestine Ordinance 0-8-97 Partial Tax Exemptions for Certain Historic Landmarks.
City of Palestine Section 22 of the Building Section of the Code of Ordinances Satellite Dishes.
2000 International Building Code, adopted by the City of Palestine.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Bulletin of the Association for Preservation Technology. APT, Box 8178, Fredericksburg, VA 22404. Very technical
material useful for professionals.
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: Where to Look: A Guide to Preservation Information. Washington, D.C.:
U.S. Government Printing Office, 1982.
Association for Preservation Technology (APT). Hardware Compendium. Ottawa: Association for Preservation
Technology, 1986.
Blades, Keith, Gail Sussman, and Martin Weaver, eds. Masonry Conservation and Cleaning Handbook. Ottawa:
Association for Preservation Technology, 1984.
Chapman, William. The Madison Historic Preservation Manual: A Handbook for Owners and Residents. Madison,
GA: City of Madison, 1990.
City of Oakland, Califomia. Rehab Right: How to Rehabilitate Your Oakland House without Sacrificing Architectural
101
Assets. Oakland, CA: City of Oakland Planning Department, 1978.
Duerksen, Christopher J., ed. A Handbook on Preservation Law. Washington, D.C.: Conservation Foundation,
1983.
Ferro, Maximillian L., and Melissa Cook. Electric Wiring and Lighting in Historic American Buildings. New Bedford,
MA: AFC, 1984.
Fisher, Charle E. III. Ed. The Window Handbook: Successful Strategies for Rehabilitating Windows in Historic
Buildings. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, 1986.
Flory, Linda. The Texas Main Street Handbook: A Practical Guide to Small Town Revitalization. Austin: Texas
Historical Commission, 1986.
Frangiamore, Catherine Lynn. Wallpapers in Historic Preservation. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, U.S.
Department of Interior, 1977.
Gayle, Margot, David W. Look and John G. Waite. Metals in AmericaJ6 Historic Buildings: Uses and Preservation
Treatments. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Interior, 1980.
Grimmer, Anne E. A Glossary of Historic Masonry Deterioration Problems and Preservation Treatments.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Interior, 1984.
Grimmer, Anne E. Keeping It Clean: Removing Dirt, Paint, Stains and Graffiti from Historic Exterior Masonry.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Interior, 1988.
Jandl, H. Ward., ed. The Technology of Historic American Buildings. Washington, D.C.: Foundation for Preservation
Technology, 1984.
McLelland, Linda. Guidelines for Completing National Register of Historic Places Forms. National Register Bulletin
No. 16A. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1991.
Moss, Roger. Century of Color: Exterior Decoration for American Buildings, 1828-1920. Watkins Glen, NY:
American Life Foundation, 1981.
National Park Service. Respectful Rehabilitation: Answers to Your Questions About Old Buildings. Washington,
D.C.: Preservation Press, 1982.
National Preservation Institute. Seminars in Historic Preservation and Cultural Resource Management. P. O. Box
1702, Alexandria, VA 22323; 703-765-0100; [email protected] www.npLorg These annual workshops and
seminars are useful sources for information on maintaining and repairing historic buildings and protecting
historic integrity and materials.
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Conserve Neighborhoods Notebook. Washington, D.C.: Preservation
Press, 1985.
Old House Journal. 69A Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217. A good source of technical information
and other do-it-yourselfers.
boJI.res
Parrott, Charles. Access to Historic Buildings for the Disabled: Suggestions for Planning and Implementation.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, 1980.
102
Phillips, Morgan W., and Judith E. Selwyn. Epoxies for Wood Repairs in Historic Buildings. Washington, D.C.:
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1978.
Preservation Briefs. National Park Service. Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Interior, various dates.
2. Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Brick Buildings
3. Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings
4. Roofing for Historic Buildings
6. Dangers of Abrasive Cleaning to Historic Buildings
7. The Preservation of Historic Glazed Architectural Terra Cotta
8. Aluminum and Vinyl Siding on Historic Buildings: The Appropriateness of Substitute Materials
Resurfacing Historic Wood Frame Buildings
9. The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows
10. Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork
11. Rehabilitating Historic Storefronts
12. The Preservation of Historic Pigmented Structural Glass (Vitrolite and Cararra Glass)
13. The Repair and Thermal Upgrading of Historic Steel Windows
14. New Exterior Additions to Historic Buildings: Preservation Concerns
15. Preservation of Historic Concrete: Problems and General Approaches
16. The Use of Substitute Materials on Historic Building Exteriors
17. Architectural Character-Identifying the Visual Aspects of Historic Buildings as an aid to
Preserving Their Character
18. Rehabilitating Interiors in Historical Buildings--Identifying Characteristic Defining Elements
19. The Repair and Replacement of Historic Wooden Shingle Roofs
20. The Preservation of Historic Barns
21. Repairing Historic Flat Plaster--Walls and Ceilings
22. The Preservation ad Repair of Historic Stucco
23. Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster
24. Heating, Ventilating and Cooling Historic Buildings: Problems and Recommended Approaches
25. The Preservation of Historic Signs
27. The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Cast Iron
28. Painting Historic Interiors
29. The Repair, Replacement and Maintenance of Historic Slate Roofs
30. The Preservation and Repair of Historic Clay Tile Roofs
31. Mothballing Historic Buildings
32. Making Historic Properties Accessible
33. The Preservation and Repair of Stained and Leaded Glass
35. Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation
37. Appropriate Methods for Reducing Lead Paint Hazards in Historic Housing
38. Removing Graffiti from Historic Masonry
39. Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings
40. Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors
for
Tech Notes. National Park Service. Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of Interior, various dates.
Doors
1. Historic Garage and Carriage Doors: Rehabilitation Solutions
Exterior Woodwork
1. Proper Painting and Surface Preparation
2. Paint Removal from Wood Siding
4. Protecting Woodwork Against Decay Using Borate Preservation
Masonry
103
2. Stabilization and Repair of a Historic Terra Cotta Cornice
3. Water Soak Cleaning of Limestone
4. Non-Destructive Evaluation Techniques for Masonry Construction
The Maintenance and Repair of Architectural Sandstone
Mechanical Systems
1. Replicating Historic Elevator Enclosures
Metals
1. Conserving Outdoor Bronze Sculpture
2. Restoring Metal Roof Cornices
3. In-Kind Replacement of Historic Stamped Metal Exterior Siding
4. Rehabilitating a Historic Iron Bridge
Site
1. Restoring Vine Coverage to Historic Buildings
Temporary Protection
1. Temporary Protection of Historic Stairways During Rehabilitation Work
Windows
10. Temporary Window Vents in Unoccupied Historic Buildings
11. Installing Insulating Glass in Existing Sash Windows Incorporating the Historic Glass
17. Repair and Retrofitting Industrial Steel Windows
18. Aluminum Replacement Windows
Los Normas de Rehabilitacion del Secretario del Interior (leaflet). Spanish language version of the Secretary of the
InteriorAS Standards
Handbook of Maintenance Techniques for Building Conservation in the Strand Historic District, Galveston, Texas
(book).
Preservation Briefs, Tech Notes, the Spanish language Los Normas (Secretary of the InteriorAS Standards)
and the Galveston maintenance techniques book can be ordered from the Texas Historical Commission, Division of
Architecture, P. O. Box 12776, Austin, Texas 78711-2276, Attn: Architectural Assistant. Prices per title vary between
50 cents and $2.50 depending on title. When ordering Technical Briefs and Tech Notes be sure to include the
publication number.
Reader46 Digest Complete Do-it-yourself Manual. Pleasantville: N.Y: ReaderAS Digest, 1977.
Stahl, Frederick A. A Guide to Maintenance, Repair and Alteration of Historic Buildings. New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold, 1984.
United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. The Secretary of the Interior46 Standards for
Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Washington, D.C.: U.S.
Vila, Bob, and Norm Abram. This Old House Guide to Building and Remodeling Materials. New York: Warner
Books, 1987.
Williams, Diane. E. Palestine Preservation Plan. City of Palestine, Texas.
Associates, 2001.
Austin, TX: Diane E. Williams &
104
Ziegler, Arthur P. and Walter C. Kidney. Historic Preservation in Small Towns: A Manual of Practice. Nashville:
American Association for State and Local History, 1980.
VISUAL DOCUMENTATION
City of Palestine Development Services Department.
a) Historic Maps, Plats and Photographs of Palestine, various dates.
Freeman, Joe C. Drawings.
Garrett, Wilbur E., ed., et. al. Historical Atlas of the United States, Centennial Edition. Washington, D.C.: National
Geographic Society, 1988.
Gebhard, David, and Robert Winter. Architecture in Los Angeles: A Compleat Guide. Layton, UT: Peregrine
Smith Books, 1985.
McAlester, Virginia, and Lee McAlester. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1984.
Newsom, Samuel, and Joseph Newsom. Picturesque California Homes: A Volume of Forty Plates, Plans Details and
Specifications of Houses. Reprinted. Originally published 1884, San Francisco. Los Angeles: Hennessey &
Ingalls, 1978.
Ramos, Mary G., ed. Texas Almanac 1998-1999. Dallas, TX: Dallas Morning News, Inc., 1997.
Southern Homes, catalog.
Texas State Library and Archives, Austin, Texas.
a) Map of Anderson County, Texas Highway Department, 1965.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Palestine, Texas. Chicago: Sanborn Fire Insurance Company, various dates.
Stephens, Ray A., and William M. Holmes. Historical Atlas of Texas. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press,
1989.
Texas Historical Commission, Main Street Program.
Williams, Diane E. Photographs and drawings.
105
APPENDIX A:
GUIDELINES FOR REHABILITATION
The Secretary of the Interior has published a manual describing important issues regarding the rehabilitation of
certified historic properties. Copies of Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation are
available from the Texas Historical Commission in Austin, Texas, or from the National Park Service in Washington
D.C. These standards are general guidelines for the restoration, rehabilitation and reuse of historic properties.
Although each historic property has its own characteristics, the standards outline the basic philosophy of the
Secretary of the Interior in relation to historic resources and should be consulted and considered before any
rehabilitation is undertaken.
1. Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration
of the building, structure, or site and its environment, or to use a property for its originally intended purpose.
2. The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, or site and its environment shall not be
destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided
when possible.
3. All buildings, structures, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no
historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
4. Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a
building, structure, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and
this significance shall be recognized and respected.
5. Distinctive stylistiC features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, or site
shall be treated with sensitivity.
6. Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced wherever possible. In the event
replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color,
texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on
accurate duplications of features, substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural
designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
7. The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other
cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
8. Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archeological resources affected by, or adjacent to
any project.
9. Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such
alterations and additions do not destroy Significant historical, architectural, or cultural material, and such design is
compatible with the size, scale; color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood or environment.
10. Whenever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such
additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be
unimpaired.
106
APPENDIX B:
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: An independent Federal agency created by the National Historic
Preservation Act. The Council advises the President and Congress on issues concerning historic preservation.
Certified Historic Property: A property listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places, or one that is a
Contributing property within a listed Historic District.
Certified Local Government: A local government, such as a city or county, that has met established standards
outlined in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. A Certified Local Government (CLG) is
eligible for grants and assistance from the State Historic Preservation Office (in Texas, the Texas Historical
Commission.THCe) to implement preservation projects.
Contributing: A building, site, structure or object within a Historic District that adds to the values or qualities of that
District because it was present during the Period of Significance and possesses historic integrity, or it independently
meets the National Register criteria.
Executive Order 11593: directs Federal agencies to inventory and nominate to the National Register the cultural
properties under their jurisdictions that appear to qualify for listing.
Historic American Buildings Survey(HABS)/Engineering Survey (HAER): A program begun in 1933 as part of the
Works Project Administration (WPA). This program documents and catalogs buildings, structures, sites and objects
with measured architectural and engineering drawings, large format photography and historic data.
Historic Context: A narrative presentation of information about historic properties organized by theme, place and
time. A historic context describes one or more important aspects of the development of an area, relating to history,
architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture.
Historic District: A concentrated and cohesive grouping of Historic Resources that retain a significant amount of
their historic character.
Historic Preservation Fund: Created by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 to provide Federal funding
for State Historic Preservation Offices in the implementation of preservation-related work.
Historic Resource: A building, structure, object or site that is at least 50 years old and that 1) is associated with
events of significance, or is 2) strongly associated with persons of significance, or 3) embodies the characteristics of
an important architectural style, method of construction or plan type, or 4) may yield cultural and/or archaeological
information.
Historic Resources Survey: A comprehensive inventory of a defined area's extant Historic Resources.
Integrity: A condition or description of a property that is physically unaltered or one that retains a sufficient amount of
its historic character defining elements, appearance or ambiance to be recognizable to the period when the property
achieved significance.
Level of Significance: Properties nominated to the National Register are evaluated to determine whether their
significance is at the local, state or national level. For example, the Alamo has significance at the national level; the
state capitol building is significant on the state level; and a house built by a local architect has local significance.
107
Local History Program: Administered by the Local History Program department of the Texas Historical
Commission. Responsibilities include processing for Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks and Subject Markers.
These designations are independent of the National Register program.
Mitigation: A process to minimize adverse effects to a significant historic resource.
supplemental documentation to augment existing National Register or survey research.
This usually involves
Multiple Property Nomination: A document that nominates a number of properties to the National Registerthat are
linked by a Historic Context and are representative of defined Property Types. This type of nomination presents a
framework for evaluating historic resources by describing and assessing the overall significance of each property
type.
National Historic Preservation Act: The legislative act that mandates the preservation of cultural properties of local,
state, and national significance. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to establish the National Register as a list
of districts, buildings, structures, sites and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology and
culture.
National Park Service: The agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior responsible for administering the
National Register, all National Historic Sites and national parks.
National Register: see National Register of Historic Places.
National Register of Historic Places: The official list of United States... cultural resources that are worthy of
preservation. as established by the National Historic Preservation Act. Listing in the National Register, as it is
commonly called, provides limited protection to resources owned by Federal agencies, and those under the
jurisdiction of Federal funding, by requiring comment from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on the effect
of Federally assisted projects on those resources.
National Trust for Historic Preservation: Created by an act of Congress to encourage public participation in
historic preservation, to receive and manage significant properties, to provide preservation education, and to manage
financial donations given for the advancement of preservation.
Noncontributing: A building, structure, site or object within a Historic District that does not add to the values or
qualities of that district because it was not present during the Period of Significance, or it no longer possesses historic
integrity due to alterations, or it does not independently meet National Register criteria.
Period of Significance: The period in which a Historic Resource attained its significance. If the property is important
for its architectural merits, the period of significance is the date of construction. If the property is important for its
association with an individual, the Period of Significance typically includes the timespan during which that individual
was associated with the property.
Preservation: The act or process of sustaining the existing form, integrity or material of a building, structure, site or
object.
Preservation Ordinance: A document that outlines a local governments zoning and other land use policies that may
affect or pertain to historic properties.
Property Type: A grouping of individual properties based on a set of shared physical or associative characteristics.
Physical characteristics may relate to structural forms, architectural styles, building materials, or site type.
Associative characteristics may relate to the nature of associated events or activities, to associations with a specific
108
individual or group, or to the category of information for which a property may yield information.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark: A designation awarded to a historic property in consideration of architecture,
association with a significant person or event, and age (fifty years or older). The exterior of landmark properties must
not be appreciably changed without first giving 50-days notice to the Texas Historical Commission, which may require
an additional 30-day waiting period.
Rehabilitation: The act or process of returning a property to a state of utility through repair or alteration that makes
possible an efficient, contemporary use while preserving those portions or features of the property that are significant
to its historical, architectural or cultural values.
Restoration: The act or process of accurately recovering the form and details of a property and its setting as it
appeared at a particular time by means of the removal of later work or by the replacement of missing earlier work.
Secretary of the Interior.es Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation: A set of guidelines designed to guide
restoration, rehabilitation and renovation efforts performed on historic resources to ensure that architectural
treatments, new construction, and demolition are conducted in a manner that protects and enhances the significance
of the property.
Section 106 Review: A provision within the National Historic Preservation Act that requires Federal agencies to
consider the effects of their actions on historic properties prior to the undertaking of actions such as the construction
of a highway or dam.
Stabilization: The act or process of re-establishing a weather-resistant enclosure and the structural stability of an
unsafe or deteriorated property while maintaining the essential form as it currently exists.
State Archeological Landmark (SAL): This designation places a historic resource in a statewide inventory of
significant archeological properties, and allows for long range protection planning for Texas archeological sites.
Resources protected under this program are under the jurisdiction of the Texas Antiquities Code, and listing in the
National Register is a prerequisite for SAL designation.
State Board of Review: A group of professional knowledgeable about history, archeology, architectural history,
historic landscapes, ethnic heritage and preservation that meets quarterly to officially review National Register
nominations, evaluate these properties on the basis of the National Register Criteria, and make recommendations
pertaining to listing properties to the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO).
State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO): The supervisor of the National Register program in each state. In
Texas, this position is held by the Executive Director of the Texas Historical Commission.
Subject Marker: A program administered by the Texas Local History Programs department of the THC. Subject
Markers are for educational purposes and they place no restrictions on the related properties. Topics for Subject
Markers include individuals, events, cemeteries and other related issues significant on the local, state or national
level. Subjects and related resources nominated for Subject Marker status must be at least 75 years old.
Tax Reform Law of 1986: This law permits owners and some lessees of income producing historic properties listed
in the National Register individually or as a contributing feature within a listed district to take a 20% income tax credit
for hard costs associated with rehabilitating properties in accord with the Secretary of the InteriorJ6 Standards and
Guidelines for Rehabilitation. Eligible resources, in addition to being listed on the National Register, must be Certified
Historic Properties, a status gained through a process separate from National Register listing.
109
Texas Antiquities Code: State regulation intended to protect or encourage the preservation of archeological sites,
historic resources and records owned by municipal, county or state governments.
Texas Historical Commission (THC): The state agency responsible for historic preservation activities, state
medallion and marker programs, museum services. archaeological programs. and cultural resources management.
Departments within the THC include the National Register Department. Main Street Program. Archaeology, Museum
and Field Services, Resource Conservation, Antiquities Committee, Publications. Local History Program and
Architectural Services.
Texas Main Street Program: A program with a national scope administered individually in each state. In Texas the
program is managed by the Texas Historical Commission. It encourages revitalization of historic business districts in
communities throughout the state. Selected cities are chosen each year to receive technical assistant to boost the
economic viability of their respective downtown areas.
U.S. Department of the Interior: The principal Federal preservation agency responsible for administering national
parks, national historic sites and other public lands and major Federal preservation programs.
110
APPENDIX C:
THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of historical and cultural properties that are significant in
history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture. Passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
established the National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service, within the U.S. Department of the
Interior, administers the program at the Federal level. The National Historic Preservation Act also authorized State
Historic Preservation Officers in every state to direct and coordinate the program at the state leve\. In addition,
Federal agencies are responsible for designating Federal Preservation Officers to nominate Federal properties within
their jurisdiction to the National Register. Included in the National Register are individual examples of and related
concentrations (historic districts) of
• Buildings, including large, high style houses and institutional and commercial properties, as well as
modest, vernacular resources
• Structures, such as engineering structures, recreational resources, and industrial properties
• Sites, such as landscape features and archaeological sites
• Objects, such as public art, transportation vehicles, and infrastructural features.
NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA
To be eligible for listing in the National Register, a property or historic district must be at least 50 years old, retain its
integrity, and meet one of the four following criteria.
A. be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our
history; or
B. be associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
C. embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or that
represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a
significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
D. yielded, or be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
Criteria Considerations (Exceptions): Ordinarily cemeteries, birthplaces, or graves of historical figures; properties
owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes; structures that have been moved from their original
locations; reconstructed historic buildings; properties primarily commemorative in nature; and properties that have
achieved significance within the past 50 years shall not be considered eligible for the National Register. However,
such properties will qualify if they are integral parts of districts or conform to the following criteria:
A. a religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic importance; or
B. a building or structure removed from its original location but which is significant primarily for architectural
value, or which is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic person or event;
or
C. a birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no other appropriate site or
building directly associated with his or her productive life; or
111
D. a cemetery which derives its primary significance from graves of persons of transcendent importance,
from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events; or
E. a reconstructed building when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented in a dignified
manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other building or structure with the same
association has survived; or
F. a property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has invested it
with its own historical significance; or
G. a property achieving significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional importance.
Properties in the National Register can be listed at a national, state or local level of significance and can be honored
individually or as part of a historic district. The vast majority of properties included in the National Register are listed
at a local level of significance. In addition, most are honored for their architectural merits (National Register Criterion
C), although others are considered noteworthy for their historical associations (National Register Criteria A and B), or
for their potential to enhance our understanding of the past (National Register Criterion D).
ASSESSMENT OF INTEGRITY
The Secretary of the Interior defines integrity as "the ability of a property to convey its significance." For a resource to
be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. it must meet at least one of the four criteria listed
above AND retain sufficient integrity to be recognizable to its period of significance. Therefore, understanding what
integrity is and how it can be determined are vital steps in the identification, documentation and evaluation of historic
resources. The Secretary of the Interior lists seven aspects of integrity that are effective guides for assessing
integrity. These are
Location - the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event
occurred.
Design - the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure and style of a property.
Setting - the physical environment of a historic property.
Materials - the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in
a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.
Workmanship - the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period
in history or prehistory.
Feeling - the property's expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time.
Association - the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.
APPENDIX D:PALESTINE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE (0-9-90, REV. 2002)
112

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